Melanoma Monday 2023: Date, History, Facts about Melanoma

The American Academy of Dermatology created Melanoma Monday, which occurs on the first Monday in May — May 1 this year — three weeks prior to National Safe Sun Week, to raise awareness of the disease’s symptoms, causes, and prevention, and the day has become associated with wearing black clothing. Melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer, affects one in fifty Americans at some stage in their lives. There are numerous ways to prevent melanoma, so spend extra time today learning how to lower your risk!

The background of Melanoma Monday

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, did not enter recorded annals until the fifth century B.C. When Hippocrates first described the disease, he used the Greek words’melas’ and ‘oma,’ which mean ‘dark’ and ‘tumour,’ respectively. There were few to no treatment options.

Prior to the 18th century, when physician John Hunter first excised a metastatic melanoma, very little additional knowledge of melanoma was gained. Although his procedure was successful, he was unsure of precisely what he had accomplished. He referred to the melanoma as a “cancerous fungous excrescence,” and it wasn’t until 1968 that the preserved tumour was identified as melanoma.

In the early 1800s, medical understanding of melanoma advanced significantly. Dr. René Laennec was the first to distinguish melanoma, coining the term’melanose’ in 1804. Thomas Fawdington acknowledged in 1826 that the medical community knew very little about the causes of melanoma. In 1838, Sir Robert Carswell introduced the term’melanoma’.

In 1844, melanoma was still considered incurable. Samuel Cooper once stated that the only hope for melanoma patients was early removal. There was still experimentation. In 1892, Herbert Snow advocated the removal of not only the tumour but also the adjacent gland. William Handley made a significant advancement in the therapy of melanoma in 1905, which led to the removal of all subcutaneous tissue and lymph nodes surrounding the tumour for fifty years.

Henry Lancaster’s discovery in 1956 that ultraviolet radiation and solar exposure caused melanoma catalysed the explosion of modern melanoma knowledge. In addition to sun exposure, many genetic factors, such as fair complexion, family history, and eye colour, can indicate an increased risk for melanoma. Even though there is a general comprehension of how to prevent, identify, and treat melanoma, there is still ongoing research into the disease.

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5 FACTS ABOUT MELANOMA

• Melanoma can spread more rapidly and at an earlier stage than many other types of cancer.
• While the average age at which other cancers are diagnosed is between 65 and 70, the average age at which melanoma is diagnosed is 50.
• Red hair, more than 50 lesions, a melanoma history in the family, childhood sunburns, and tanning bed use are all risk factors for the disease.
• While it is true that melanoma can be fatal, it is treatable if detected early — prompt detection is imperative.
• The most effective method to reduce your risk of melanoma is straightforward: practise sun safety and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun!

MELANOMA MONDAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	May 2	Monday
2023	May 1	Monday
2024	May 6	Monday
2025	May 5	Monday
2026	May 4	Monday