What can be mistaken for subungual melanoma?
Subungual melanomas are difficult to diagnose because they’re rare and can appear similar to other common afflictions of the nail, such as fungal and bacterial infections. If you have a fungal nail infection but are also exhibiting possible symptoms of subungual melanoma, see your doctor immediately.
Can subungual melanoma be misdiagnosed?
Nail bed melanoma or subungual melanoma is frequently misdiagnosed compared to other melanoma in other anatomic sites.
What else looks like subungual melanoma?
Some conditions that may look similar to subungual melanoma include: onychomycosis, which is fungal nail infection. paronychia, an infection of the nail bed. pyogenic granuloma, which are overgrowths of nail tissue.
Can subungual melanoma be benign?
Subungual pigmentation can have benign and malignant etiologies. A common and important differential diagnosis is between subungual hematoma and subungual acrolentiginous melanoma.
Is nail melanoma always a stripe?
The main symptom is melanonychia, or a pigmented vertical streak on the nail. Some people have likened it to a line drawn by a Sharpie. That doesn’t mean it’s always automatically worrisome because such streaks are much more common in patients with darker skin, Patel noted.
How can you tell the difference between a melanoma and a bruised toenail?
But unlike a bruise, it won’t go away as the nail grows. “A trauma blood blister grows and moves, whereas with melanoma, it doesn’t move because the discoloration isn’t in the nail, it’s in the skin under the nail,” Sharkey says. “Trauma grows out, but melanoma wouldn’t change.”
Can you have subungual melanoma for years?
The survival rates can get lower depending on how advanced the condition is when diagnosed and treated. If subungual melanoma is diagnosed at its final stage, or Stage IV, the survival rate is 15% to 20% at five years and 10% to 15% at 10 years.
How can you tell the difference between a subungual hematoma and a melanoma?
With a hematoma, pooling of blood in the nail bed usually occurs within a few days of a crushing injury. In contrast to melanoma, nail discoloration from hematoma will gradually clear as the nail heals. As the nail heals from a subungual hematoma, a transverse groove may form across its surface.
How do you know if you have nail melanoma?
What are the symptoms of subungual melanoma?
- a light- to dark-brown colored band on the nail that’s usually vertical.
- a dark band on the nail that slowly expands and covers more of the nail.
- dark nail pigmentation that expands to the surrounding skin.
- a nodule underneath the nail with or without a pigmentation band.
How do I know if my toenail is black or melanoma?
Don’t Be Misdiagnosed. Know the Signs of Toenail Melanoma
- A dark spot or streak on your toenail could be a sign of subungual melanoma.
- We suspect melanoma from a pigmented spot that starts at the bottom of the nail next to the cuticle and makes a black streak on the toenail as it grows out toward the tip of the toe.
How is nail melanoma diagnosed?
To correctly diagnose subungual melanoma, your doctor will need to conduct a biopsy. It will most likely be a punch biopsy, which is a procedure in which a tube-like instrument with a sharp end works like a cookie cutter to take a small sample. This small sample will be tested for melanoma.
What are the five early warning signs of melanoma?
The “ABCDE” rule is helpful in remembering the warning signs of melanoma:
- Asymmetry. The shape of one-half of the mole does not match the other.
- Border. The edges are ragged, notched, uneven, or blurred.
- Color. Shades of black, brown, and tan may be present.
- Diameter.
- Evolving.
How is the diagnosis of subungual melanoma made?
Still, as with cutaneous melanoma, the absolute diagnosis of subungual melanoma is made by means of a biopsy. Although each letter of the alphabet of subungual melanoma is important, one must use all the letters together to improve early detection and thus survival of subungual melanoma.
What is the prevalence of subungual melanoma?
Background: Subungual melanoma is a relatively rare disease with reported incidence between 0.7% to 3.5% of all melanoma cases in the general population. Unlike the significant improvement in the diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma, the diagnosis of subungual melanoma has shown little, if any, improvement over the years.
Can subungual melanoma be prevented?
Since subungual melanoma isn’t caused by sun exposure, it can be difficult to prevent compared to other types of melanoma. General hand and foot health can be of some benefit, though. Be sure to protect your fingers and toes from injury during sports and other activities by wearing the right type of gear.
Why is the alphabet important in the diagnosis of subungual melanoma?
Although each letter of the alphabet of subungual melanoma is important, one must use all the letters together to improve early detection and thus survival of subungual melanoma. Still, as with cutaneous melanoma, the absolute diagnosis of subungual melanoma is made by means of a biopsy.