Frequently Asked Questions About Melanoma

1. What is melanoma?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that occurs when specialized skin cells called melanocytes become malignant and form a lesion. If the lesion is not removed early, cells can grow downward from the surface of the skin and attack healthy tissue. Medical professionals categorize melanoma into four developmental stages. Please see Melanoma Stages for more information.

2. What causes melanoma?

The exact causes of melanoma are unknown. However, risk factors exist which make a person more prone to the disease. Risk factors for skin cancer, including melanoma, are fair or light skin (sensitivity to the sun), one or more blistering sunburns in childhood, a family history of melanoma, and abnormal moles. Please see Facts About Melanoma for more information.

3. What are the warning signs of melanoma?

Melanoma usually grows from abnormal moles. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, including the eyes. The Skin Cancer Foundation outlines how to check for the ABCDs of melanoma (Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, and Diameter). It is important to consult a physician immediately if a mole or lesion matches any of these conditions. Please see Melanoma Symptoms for more information.

4. How is melanoma diagnosed?

If a mole or a pigmented area on the skin looks abnormal, a physician will biopsy the growth to determine whether it contains cancer cells. If the cells are malignant, or cancer, the physician will then determine the stage of the cancer and what treatment options are currently available.

5. What is metastatic melanoma?

Metastatic melanoma is the most advanced form of melanoma. It occurs when the cancer has spread from the primary lesion on the skin to other parts of the body, where it continues to grow.

6. How is melanoma treated?

The stage of melanoma determines how it is treated. Please see Melanoma Stages for more information. About 95% of cases are treated first with surgery. In stages I and II, the melanoma is usually surgically removed. In stage III, treatment may include drug therapy and/or the removal of surrounding tissue or lymph nodes. In stage IV metastatic melanoma, PROLEUKIN® (aldesleukin) for injection therapy and dacarbazine are the only treatment options approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Please see Melanoma Treatment for more information.

7. How successful are treatments for patients with melanoma?

Treatment success and survival rates are directly related to the patients' particular stage of melanoma. Please refer to Melanoma Stages for a description of each stage.

8. Where can I get more information?

Your most important information resource is your healthcare team. You can also contact support groups and services through the following organizations. These organizations will be able to direct you to services more specific to your individual needs:

	Melanoma Research Foundation (1-800-MRF-1290 [673-1290])
	The National Cancer Institute (1-800-4-CANCER)

Please refer to Additional Resources and Links for a list of contact information for these and other organizations.