Several risk factors are associated with melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. While some can be controlled, others might not be as easy to regulate. The treatment for this condition will largely depend on the stage of the cancer.

Learning about the risk factors and treatment options of melanoma can prove to be extremely beneficial in fighting the disease. Here’s what you need to know.

Risk factors associated with melanoma
When you know about the risk factors and treatment options of melanoma, you can keep it under check better.

There are various factors that increase the risk of developing melanoma. These include the following:

• Exposure to ultraviolet light
  Ultraviolet ray-exposure can be one of the main risk factors contributing to the development of melanoma. While the sun is the main source of these harmful UV rays, sun lamps and tan beds can also do a lot of damage. Regardless of the fact that UV rays are only a small part of rays emitted by the sun, they can still be biggest cause of skin damage. They can cause damage to the DNA inside the skin cells.
• Moles
  Moles are non-cancerous and pigmented tumors. In most cases, they are not a problem. But sometimes, a person with many moles can be at a risk of developing melanoma.
• Light skin and hair color
  Risk of developing melanoma is higher in Caucasians as compared to individuals of African descent. Having blonde or red hair, green or blue eyes, or having fair skin can further increase the risk of developing melanoma.
• Family history
  A person’s chances of developing melanoma can be higher if he has anyone from his immediate family suffering from the same condition. About 10 percent of melanoma patients have been found to have a family history of the condition.
• Having a weak immune system
  A healthy immune system can fight cancer that affects the skin and parts of the body. Therefore, when the immune system weakens, the chances of getting melanoma or other types of cancer can increase significantly.

Treatment options for melanoma
The course of treatment for melanoma will be decided by the stage of cancer. The health of the patient and their preference will also be taken into consideration. The treatment course will include the following options:

Treatment for early stage of melanoma
At this stage, the best treatment option suggested is a surgery. The surgery is done to remove the cancer from the body. If the melanoma is thin, it can be removed completely with the help of a biopsy and no treatment would be required further.

Treatment for melanoma that has spread
In cases where the melanoma has spread to parts beyond the skin, the treatment options that can be chosen will include the following:

• Surgery that removes the nodes
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy