How do you know if you have acral lentiginous melanoma?

The main sign of acral lentiginous melanoma is a black or brown discoloration that appears on the sole of the foot or palm of the hand. It may resemble a bruise or stain, but over time it grows in size. Acral lentiginous melanoma occurs equally among people of all races and backgrounds.

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What does ALM look like?

What ALM Looks Like. ALM is typically a dark spot of skin that is surrounded by skin that remains your normal skin color. There is often a clear border between the dark skin and the lighter skin around it. This contrast in color is one of the most noticeable characteristics of this type of melanoma.

What does acral lentiginous melanoma feel like?

The most visible symptom of ALM is typically a dark spot of skin that’s surrounded by skin that remains your normal skin color. There’s a clear border between the dark skin and the lighter skin around it.

Does acral lentiginous melanoma itch?

Just like with all cases of Melanoma skin cancer, one of the biggest warning signs of Acral Lentiginous Melanoma is that it evolves, or changes over time. Any type of change is troublesome, including a change in size, shape, color, and elevation or even if the spot has recently started bleeding, itching or crusting.

Is acral melanoma painful?

Acral lentiginous melanoma may be painful if it reaches advanced stages in certain areas of your body. If lesions are found on the sole of your foot, the growths may thicken as the cancer progresses and may cause walking to be painful.

How fast does acral melanoma grow?

Most acral lentiginous melanomas are brown and occur on the soles in individuals older than 60 years of age. Lesions generally evolve over a period of years and reach an average diameter of 3 cm before the diagnosis is established.

How long can you live with acral melanoma?

Acral lentiginous melanoma had 5- and 10-year melanoma-specific survival rates of 80.3% and 67.5%, respectively, which were less than those for all cutaneous malignant melanomas overall (91.3% and 87.5%, respectively; P < . 001).

Does acral lentiginous melanoma hurt?

Is acral lentiginous melanoma benign?

Lentiginous refers to the initial origin of these tumors as a macular (flat) brown spot, resembling a benign lentigo. The term melanoma refers to a malignancy of melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the epidermis.

How aggressive is acral lentiginous melanoma?

Acral lentiginous melanoma is very aggressive type of skin cancer. If not treated, it can be life-threatening. Acral lentiginous melanoma is a very aggressive type of melanoma that appears on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, or under the nails.