What Patients Say About Cancer Treatment at New Hope
What Is Melanoma Cancer?
Battling cancer begins with being armed with essential information about the disease.
Malignant melanoma is often, but not always, a dangerous form of skin carcinoma. It originates in the melanocytes or cells that produce melanin — the pigment that gives the skin its color. Melanoma development is not limited to the skin and can occur in the eyes (ocular melanoma), including in the rectum, nose, mouth, lungs and other areas inside the body.
Types of Melanoma We Treat at New Hope Unlimited
There are three general categories of melanoma:
Cutaneous Melanoma (Melanoma Skin Cancer)
Because most pigment cells are in the skin, cutaneous melanoma is the most prevalent. The primary skin melanoma types are (1) Superficial Spreading Melanoma, (2) Nodular Melanoma, (3) Lentigo Maligna Melanoma, and (4) Acral Lentiginous Melanoma.
Mucosal Melanoma
This cancer occurs in any mucous membrane of the body, including the throat, nasal passages, vagina, anus, and in the mouth.
Ocular Melanoma
Also known as choroidal melanoma or uveal melanoma, this rare form of melanoma cancer occurs in the eye.
Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma
It is important to note that melanoma does not always start as a mole and can occur on the normal-looking skin. In most cases, early melanoma symptoms include:
- A change in the appearance of an existing mole, including size, shape, and color
- Presence of a new pigmented or unusual-looking growth on the skin
If melanoma has spread through the lymph nodes to distant sites in the body, referred to as metastatic melanoma. Common sites for metastases include the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones, intestines, and brain. Symptoms may include:
- Swollen or painful lymph nodes
- Fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
- Sudden loss of appetite
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing that does not go away
- Bone pain and aches
- Headaches or migraines
- Seizures
- Swelling of the liver
It's important to get your physician’s accurate diagnosis since these symptoms can have other, less-serious causes.
Melanoma Causes and Risk Factors
Research suggests that almost 90 percent of melanoma cases result from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays - either directly from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. However, since melanoma can arise from all melanocytes throughout the body, even in those that are never exposed to the sun, UV light cannot be solely accountable for a diagnosis, especially for mucosal and ocular melanoma. Medical researchers point to a combination of family history, genetics, a weakened immune system, and environmental factors that are also to blame.
Detection and Diagnosis
If your doctor suspects a lesion, he or she may perform a biopsy to determine whether any cells are cancerous. The skin biopsy procedure you undergo will depend on your situation and may include:
- Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA)
- Punch Biopsy
- Shave Biopsy
- Incisional Biopsy
- Excisional Biopsy
If the original or primary melanoma has high-risk characteristics, your doctor will examine your lymph nodes to conclude whether any cells have spread beyond the initial site. To confirm whether cells have migrated, a sentinel lymph node biopsy may be necessary.
Choose New Hope for Melanoma Alternative Treatments
Our medical experts understand that each patient and each melanoma case are different. Therefore, we use a multidisciplinary approach to customizing treatment specifically for your situation. Our goal is to address melanoma from a physical, emotional, and spiritual perspective, ensuring you receive the most advanced care with minimal impact on your body. Click Here to learn more about our comprehensive cancer treatments.
Our Promise
- Advanced Cancer Treatments
- Top-Rated Physicians
- Personal Care
- Patient Satisfaction
Our Top-of-the-Line Medical Facilities
At New Hope Unlimited, we pride ourselves in providing superior comfort, cleanliness, and cancer care at our 8,000 square foot medical treatment center in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. We worked with renowned architects and contractors to create the ideal space for recovery, which includes state-of-the-art lounge areas and spacious private in-rooms that assure the comfort of our patients and their loved ones.
To make our patients feel right at home, each private ward is equipped with high-definition U.S. television, quality bedding, and high-speed internet connection. And with proper nutrition playing a vital role in cancer recovery, New Hope Unlimited also fulfills the dietary needs of each patient using fresh, organic produce to prepare breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners.
Comfort and cleanliness are also strictly implemented in our medical treatment rooms, which are equipped with the latest medical supplies and technology to provide the highest standard of care and treatment. Our medical center also has an in-house Hyperbaric Chamber, a well-established therapy for decompression sickness, exclusively available for our patients’ use.
Further, New Hope Unlimited has maintained its exceptional partnership with Hospital Migoo, a medical group comprised of certified physicians and specialists committed to our patients’ care and well-being.
FAQs
1. What specific treatments does New Hope offer?
Click here to learn about our combination of conventional, alternative, and holistic therapies for melanoma cancer.
2. Are the doctors at New Hope Unlimited certified doctors, or are they alternative medicine practitioners?
Doctors at our cancer treatment facility are certified medical surgeons that additionally practice alternative medicine.
