Facing Melanoma, the Most Dangerous Skin Cancer
- "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Teddi Mellencamp, 41, revealed she has had 11 melanomas.
- Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color.
- You're most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed areas of skin, like your face, neck, arms, and legs. However, you might also find them on other places like your feet, eyes, and mouth.
- Early detection and treatment of melanoma leads to an extremely high survival rate. Treatments including targeted therapy and immunotherapy give people who are diagnosed a much better chance of living a long and healthy life than ever before.
- Dealing with a mental health struggle looks different for everyone, especially when it comes to a cancer diagnosis. Experts recommend talk therapy to help you cope with your cancer journey.
"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Teddi Mellencamp, 41, was met with an outpouring of support after revealing she has had 11 melanomas, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. But thankfully for the reality TV star, her latest test revealed that a new growth she had wasn’t cancerous.
Mellencamp was widely considered the face of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (RHOBH) during her time on the show. The reality show is about a group of wealthy women living a lavish lifestyle in Beverly Hills. Mellencamp left RHOBH in 2020. She's also the daughter of Grammy-award-winning singer John Mellencamp.
Read MoreView this post on Instagram
"My biopsy results came back benign…That means I am holding strong at 11 melanomas," Mellencamp said.
"Thank you to everybody who reached out, messaged, and commented yesterday. Means the world," the RHOBH star added.
Mellencamp's cancer scare came about after she found a spot on her back.
"You'd think after 11 melanomas, I'd be used to this. Unfortunately, you cannot control anxiety. And last night I had the worst panic attack," Mellencamp said.
View this post on Instagram
She resorted to prayer and meditation to control her anxiety until she received her latest biopsy results.
Understanding Melanomas
Melanoma, like Teddi Mellencamp has had, is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In melanoma, the cells change in a way that makes them able to spread to other organs.
Changes to a mole you've had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet's experts. You'll want to keep an eye on them and let your doctor know about any changes you notice.
You're most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed areas of skin, like your face, neck, arms, and legs. Surprisingly, you might also find them in other places as well, like:
- The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
- On your eyes or mouth
- Under your nails
SurvivorNet experts recommend avoiding unprotected sun exposure because ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to melanoma. Tanning beds pose ultraviolet radiation risks for skin cancer and should be avoided. Many dermatologists recommend using spray tans to reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer.
WATCH: How do perform a skin check using the ABCDEs?
What Are the Symptoms of Melanoma?
The most important thing to look out for when it comes to finding melanoma is a new spot on your skin or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color, SurvivorNet's medical experts say.
When you check your skin, use the acronym ABCDE as your guide:
- Asymmetrical moles: If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?
- Borders: Is the mole irregular or jagged?
- Colors: Are there multiple distinct colors in the mole?
- Diameter: Is the mole larger than 6 millimeters (mm), about the size of a pencil head eraser?
- Evolution: Has the mole's color, shape, or size changed over time?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, our experts say it's time to see your dermatologist for a skin check.
Treating Melanoma
With breakthrough treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy now available, people who are diagnosed today with melanoma have a much better chance of living a long and healthy life than ever before.
The American Cancer Society says the five-year survival rate for localized melanoma that has not spread is 99%. For melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body, the five-year survival rate drops to 71% for regional spread and 32% for distant spread.
If you're diagnosed with melanoma, there's a good chance surgery is going to be the treatment your doctor recommends. In the early stages of the disease, removing the cancer usually leads to a cure.
For an early-stage melanoma that is close to the skin surface, Mohs surgery might be an option. This technique removes skin cancer, layer by layer, until all the cancer is gone.
Stage 1 melanoma surgery consists of simple, in-office removal of the cancerous cells by a dermatologist. If the cancer is thicker, your surgeon will remove it through a technique called wide excision surgery.
Stage 2 and stage 3 melanoma surgeries are performed by surgeons or surgical oncologists, not dermatologists. You may also have a sentinel lymph node biopsy to see if the melanoma has spread to the first lymph node where it's most likely to travel. If your cancer has reached this first lymph node, it may have spread to other neighboring lymph nodes and organs.
After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes are examined to measure the melanoma and find out if it has clear margins. Clear margins mean the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don't contain any melanoma. When there aren't any cancer cells left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to come back.
Expert Skin Cancer Resources
- 3 Skin Cancer Myths, Busted: Can One Bad Sun Burn Cause Cancer?
- Signs of Skin Cancer Can Show Up On Your Nails, But Don’t Jump to Conclusions Just Yet
- Am I at High Risk for Melanoma?
- An Immunotherapy Success Story: Mary Elizabeth Williams Lived Through Metastatic Melanoma
- Be Aware of the Side Effects of Targeted Therapy for Melanoma
Treatment for stage 4 melanoma has changed over the years. Targeted drugs and immunotherapy have been shown to be more effective than chemotherapy.
Coping With a Diagnosis and Your Mental Health
Mellencamp was vulnerable with her online followers openly talking about her anxiety. Feelings of anxiousness or depression are common after learning you have cancer.
Dealing with a mental health struggle looks different for everyone, especially when it comes to a cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Scott Irwin, a psychiatrist and director of supportive care services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, stressed the value of talk therapy. He said it could help while dealing with mixed emotions.
It's important to reach out to your doctor, a therapist, or support groups in your community if you feel like you're struggling.
Talk therapy can be done with a trained therapist or someone within your support group you trust.
During the ups and downs of your unique cancer journey, a counselor or therapist will be able to help tailor your sessions to your specific needs and concerns. Counselors and therapists can offer tips and strategies for coping with your new cancer diagnosis, can validate your concerns, and, ultimately, just give you someone to talk to who understands what you're going through.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.
- What type of skin cancer do I have?
- What treatment options exist for my type of melanoma?
- Will this treatment be covered by insurance?
- Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense for me?
- What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.