| The awareness of the dangers of skin cancer, | | | | an elderly person. The scalp may be affected at |
| particularly melanoma, has doubtless increased. | | | | any age. |
| Still, the most fatal form of melanoma is | | | | This malignancy is characterized by a bump-like |
| frequently left undiagnosed in the fledging stages. | | | | feature, generally black, but at times blue, white, |
| Nodular melanoma is the most serious and life | | | | gray, brown, red, tan or skin tone. |
| threatening form of skin cancer, constituting | | | | Nodular melanoma is far less common than any |
| around 35% of all thick melanoma cases. In | | | | of the other sub-types. It accounts for only 15% |
| comparison, the most general form of melanoma, | | | | of all melanoma cases. Reports suggest that this |
| the superficial spreading melanoma, is regularly | | | | disease commonly affects people after the age |
| diagnosed in its infancy and characteristically is a | | | | of fifty. Medically, nodular melanoma appears as a |
| thin melanoma. | | | | consistent blue-red, blue-black or amelanotic |
| The dissimilarity between thick and thin | | | | nodule. |
| melanomas is quite straightforward. Thin | | | | Nearly 5% of nodular melanomas do not have |
| melanomas have a tendency to spread out over | | | | pigment. They are called amelanotic melanoma. |
| the top of the skin surface. Thick melanomas, on | | | | The most affected areas for nodular melanoma |
| the other hand, are more penetrating and grow | | | | are the head, neck and upper torso. It is |
| deeper into the skin. | | | | important to remember that a nodular melanoma |
| Commonly, nodular melanoma is already invasive | | | | usually starts in normal skin, and not in an already |
| upon first diagnosis. This form of cancer is | | | | existing lesion. Nodular melanomas are also |
| normally seen on arms, legs and upper torso of | | | | characterized by rapid growth. |