Doctors say more and more children are being treated for a deadly illness previously thought to take years to develop. Officials say the number of teenagers diagnosed with melanoma is growing and the ages are getting younger. Researchers say pediatric melanoma is still rare, but it affects more the twice as many kids as it did two decades ago. In 1982, the illness affected about 3 children per million, increasing to 7 per million by 2002. Increases are also being seen in other countries as well, including Australia, England, and Sweden. Doctors say physicians who notice moles on children they would have paid no attention to years ago, are now watching much closer. Experts say no definitive cause is known yet, but increased exposure to the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays could be to blame for the damage being done to children's skin. The American Cancer Society says adults are also being stricken with more cases of melanoma over the past 30 years. Currently about 60,000 cases are diagnosed annually resulting in about 7,700 deaths. Melanoma is much more invasive and likely to spread to other parts of the body than other skin cancers. It develops in skin cells called melanocytes that produce the pigment that colors the skin's surface and protects it from sun damage. Doctors say kids, unlike adults, have no family history of the melanoma and also show no other risk factors including moles present since birth. Research indicates melanoma in children often looks different than it does with adults and can be diagnosed incorrectly |
