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| Lymphoedema | (limf-eh-DEE-ma) A condition in which excess fluid collects in tissue and causes swelling. It may occur in the arm or leg after lymph vessels or lymph nodes in the underarm or groin are removed. |
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| Malignant | (ma-LIG-nant) Cancerous; can invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. |
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| Melaninskinned people. | (MEL-a-nin) A skin pigment(substance that gives the skin its colour). Dark-skinned people have more melanin than light- |
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| Melanocytes | (mel-AN-o-sites) Cells in the skin that produce and contain the called melanin. |
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| Metastasis | (meh-TAS-ta-sis) The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. Cells in the metastatic(second) tumour are like those in the original(primary) tumour. The plural of metastasis is metastases(meh-Tas-ta-sees). |
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| Naevus | (NEE-vus) The medical term for a spot on the skin, such as a mole. The plural of naevus is nevi(NEE-vie). |
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| Oncologist | (on-KOL-o-jist) A doctor who specialises in treating cancer. |
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| Ophthalmologist | (Opthal-mol-o-jist) a doctor who specialises in eye disease and eye surgery. |
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| Pathologist | (path-OL-o-jist) A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope. |
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| Pigment | A substance that gives colour to tissue. Pigments are responsible for the colour of skin, eyes, and hair. |
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| Plastic surgeon | A surgeon who specialises in reducing scarring or disfigurement that may occur as a result of accidents, birth defects, or treatment for diseases(such as skin cancers). |
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| Prognosis | (prog-NO-sis) The probable outcome or course of a disease; the chance of recovery. |
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| Radiation therapy | (ray-dee-AY-shun) Treatment with high-energy rays from x-rays or other sources to kill cancer cells, also known as radiotherapy. |
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| Remission | (ree-MISH-un) Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of disease. When this happens the disease is said to be "in remission" A remission can be temporary or permanent. |
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| Risk factor | A condition or an exposure to a substance that increases a person's chance of getting a particular disease. |
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| Scans | Pictures of organs in the body. Scans often used in diagnosing, staging, and monitoring melanoma patients include liver scans, bone scans, and computed tomography(CT) or computed axial tomography(CAT) scans. In liver scanning and bone scanning, radioactive substances that are injected into the bloodstream collect in these organs. A scanner that detects the radiation is used to create pictures. In CT scanning, an x-ray machine linked to a computer is used to produce detailed pictures of organs inside the body. Sometimes, a similar procedure called magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is done. Pictures of areas inside the body are created with a computer linked to a strong magnet. |
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| Sebum | (SEE-bum) An oily substance produced by certain glands in the skin. |
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| Skin graft | Skin that is moved from one part of the body to another. |
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| Squamous cells | (SKWAY-mus) Flat cells that look like fish scales under the microscope; they make up most of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. |
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| Sun protection factor | (SPF) A number on a scale(from 2 upwards) for rating sun screens. Sun screens with an SPF of 15 or higher provide the best protection from the sun's harmful rays. |
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| Sun screen | A substance that blocks the effect of the sun's harmful rays. Using lotions that contain sun screens can reduce the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. |
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| Surgical Oncologist | (surj-ic-al on-KOL-o-jist)- a surgeon trained in the principles of cancer biology, cancer surgery and treatments, and often with a special interest in melanoma or other specific cancers. |
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| Systemic treatment | (sis-TEM-ik) Treatment using substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cancer cells all over the body. |
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| Tumour | An abnormal mass of tissue. |
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| Ultraviolet radiation | (ul-tra-VI-o-let ray-dee-AY-shun) Invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. UV radiation can burn the skin and can cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer. UV radiation that reaches the earth's surface is made up of two types of rays, called UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are more likely than UVA rays to cause sunburn, but UVA rays pass further into the skin. Scientists have long thought that UVB radiation can cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer. They now think that UVA radiation also may add to skin damage that can lead to cancer. For this reason, skin specialists recommend that people use sun screens that block both kinds of UV radiation. |
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About Melanoma 
