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Register nowMelanoma, a rare form of skin cancer, can be dangerous. It is more likely than other, more common, types of skin cancer to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. Other more common types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. These nonmelanoma skin cancers rarely spread to other parts of the body.
The information below is primarily based on information originally published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the US government’s main agency for cancer research. It may help you gain a better understanding of your melanoma diagnosis and what may be happening to your body. This may help when making important decisions with your doctor.
Melanoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form from melanocytes (cells that color the skin). This type of cancer can occur anywhere on the skin. In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to the hips) or the head and neck. In women, melanoma forms most often on the arms and legs.
Unusual moles, exposure to sunlight, and health history can affect the risk of melanoma. Being White or having a fair complexion increases the risk of melanoma, but anyone can develop melanoma, including people with dark skin.
Melanoma is categorized in 5 stages ranging from 0 to 4, with stage 4 being the most severe. The stages can also be broken down further into substages (A, B, C, or D).
In stage 0, abnormal melanocytes are found in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). These abnormal melanocytes may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called melanoma in situ.
In stage 1, cancer has formed and there are no signs of cancer beyond the main tumor. Stage 1 is divided into stages 1A and 1B.
Stage 2 is divided into stages 2A, 2B, and 2C. In stage 2 melanoma, there are no signs of cancer beyond the main tumor.
Stage 3 is divided into stages 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D.
Learn about a possible treatment option that may help prevent melanoma from coming back after surgery.
In stage 4, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, brain, spinal cord, bone, soft tissue (including muscle), gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and/or distant lymph nodes. Cancer may have spread to places in the skin far away from where it first started.
Learn about a possible treatment option for certain patients with advanced melanoma that has spread or can’t be removed by surgery.
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