Several cancers are very well-known because they take many lives. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer are widely discussed everywhere.
The literature on the same is abundant making it easier to diagnose or detect. However, certain tumors aren’t quite popular as they have not been studied properly.
In this case, you might want to know more about them and this article aims to do that. We will be discussing melanoma of the eyelid which isn’t very prevalent and hence is not known in many spheres.
Therefore, we will also be looking into its risk factors and diagnosis so that you can help yourself or your loved one.
What is Melanoma of the eyelid and what is its epidemiology?
Melanoma of the eyelid is exactly what its name suggests. It occurs when there is a protrusion on the eyelid and most people ignore it. They might often brush it aside as a normal boil and things could get tricky from there.
Epidemiology in a simple sense discusses the boundaries the disease is bound to cross. In other words, it could tell us how often or how much it could impact you in your current scenario.
According to researchers, melanoma of the eyes is not as well-known as it should be. People are not sure about its occurrence yet it is claiming lives on the other side.
We know breast cancer is the most prominent version of cancer we have currently. Behind it, we could find some other stalwarts that could attack our other vital organs. Being a form of skin cancer, its incidence level is too low.
However, there are still plenty of anecdotes to suggest and showcase its occurrence. As with others, the risk age slightly elevates as you get older.
You could develop the tumor under the eyelid as a kid as well but the chances are thin compared to when you are 60.
Moreover, the latest research suggests that there is a chance that melanoma on the eyelid could be widely observed in males and lesser when it comes to females.
Melanoma of the eyelid-Risk factors
Discussing and knowing its risk factors could be one of the best ways to prevent the disease from eating you alive.
This could be something as simple as eating something or something as complex as the use of a particular substance. Its risk factors include,
➡️ UV exposure
Skin cancer of any form can affect you if you are in the business of dealing with ultraviolet rays. Without us telling you, you would know how critical it is to expose your skin and parts of it to the sun and other UV sources.
It can lead to tan as it kills the cells completely and finally, it could lead to abnormal formation of cells. This can increase your risk of developing melanoma of the eyelid.
➡️ Fair skin
This might sound a little odd to you but the production of Melanin in your body can determine your risk of developing skin cancer.
Researchers believe that Melanin has various uses including protecting the integrity of the cells and when it is low count, chances are you might develop skin cancer as there is nothing to protect it.
➡️ Personal or family history
A history of having skin cancer could make you vulnerable in every sense.
➡️ Immunosuppression
Some people eat tablets to suppress their immune system as it starts attacking them. This is called an auto-immune condition and requires a regular course of immunosuppressants that can work negatively in this case.
➡️ Genetics
Gene modification can also be considered as a reason for the development of a boil on the eyelid which further escalates to the verge of cancer.
Melanoma of the eyelid-pathology
All the above factors are risky to have and you should try and control any of the factors if you could. Without ado, let’s get into its pathology.
Pathology could give you a clearer picture of its origin, cause, and types. So how do you think it originates? Melanoma is produced mainly due to the activity of melanocytes.
Melanocytes produce Melanin that gives the skin its shade. When it starts becoming cancerous, the melanoma presents itself as a result. It could further work with the pigmented lesions in the eyelids and thus form melanoma of the eyelid.
It is an aggressive form of cancer and is known to spread to other parts of the body if not treated timely.
Additionally, these could be of 4 types- nodular melanoma, superficial melanoma, Lentigo Maligna melanoma, and Acral Lentiginous melanoma.
The conditions of which part it could attack depends on the kinds as their name suggests.
Melanoma of the eyelid-Diagnosis
Now our next concern would be finding out if we have the Melanoma of the eyelid or not. Several ways have been mentioned in medical journals for its effective diagnosis.
However, the first step would be to look at the melanoma physically. A dermatologist or an opthalomoist could do it to understand its grasp. Secondly, we could opt for a biopsy to know the malignancy of the tumor.
Thirdly, there is imaging to know how far the tumor has its roots up. It can make the treatment easy. Lastly, a process known as staging could be used to find the stage the Melanoma is in.
Conclusion
Melanoma of the eyelid like most tumors can be painstaking to deal with. As elusive as it is, any piece of information about the disease could be helpful if you are the loved one of the patient.
Additionally, if you are family, it can help you take precautions from exposing yourself to the Melanoma of the eyelid.
According to the statistics, the chance of it occurring is pretty low but that doesn’t make it negligible.
If you suspect a growth under your eyes, you must be careful enough to get it looked at. Getting it diagnosed early could be the only way to treat it. Keep in touch with an oncologist to get the full picture.
References
- National Cancer Institute. Skin Cancer (Including Melanoma)
https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin - C Fortes, S Mastroeni, F Melchi, M A Pilla, G Antonelli, D Camaioni, M Alotto, P Pasquini. A protective effect of the Mediterranean diet for cutaneous melanoma.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyn132
