Acral lentiginous melanoma or ALM is a type of skin cancer. It is often misjudged and goes unnoticed until the cancer cells have progressed. ALM develops on the hands (palms) and soles of your feet. About 1-3% of the people detected with melanoma develop ALM. This type of skin cancer targets white complexioned people and black-skinned people equally. Again like many other cancers, it is difficult to diagnose ALM. Treatment is by surgical excision of the lumps and sometimes other methods are also used. Prognosis and survival depends on the extent of progress of the disease. ALM can occur on the normal skin and also on the existing mole.
ALM starts slowly as a flat patch on the skin or on the mole. Initially malignant (cancerous) cells remain restricted with the tissue or epidermis. It can be in-situ for weeks together or even months. But gradually the melanoma cells spread deep into the skin invading other areas nearby and even the lymph nodes.
Who Are At Risk ?
ALM is a rare type of skin cancer and it has no bar against color of the skin. It targets white and dark skinned people equally and sometimes black skinned people are at high risk. ALM occurs equally in men and women and adults above 45 years are the target.
Causes :
Exact cause of the occurrence of ALM is not known. Repeated mutation of DNA is known to cause melanoma. Progressive sun exposure can intensify formation of moles and sunburn.
Symptoms :
ALM occurs as red or brownish pigment on the skin and often it occurs on the palms of your hands or soles of the feet. It occurs largely on the extremities of the body. Acral lentiginous melanoma initially appears as a stain on the skin color and gradually increases in size and shape. ALM moles are asymmetric in shape, without defined border and it is changing in color and the diameter of mole is roughly the size of pencil eraser.