1. Skin Cancer Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Skin Cancer Quiz
3. Sun-Damaged Skin Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Alan Rockoff, MD

Alan Rockoff, MD

Dr. Rockoff received his undergraduate degree from Yeshiva College with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His internship and two years of Pediatric residency were at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, followed by training in Dermatology at the combined residency program at Tufts and Boston Universities. Dr. Rockoff is certified by both the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Pediatrics.

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Medical Author:

Michael S. Lehrer, MD

Medical Editor:

Frederick Hecht, MD, FAAP, FACMG

Frederick Hecht, MD, FAAP, FACMG

Frederick Hecht, MD, lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Hecht is a Pediatrician and Medical Geneticist and is certified by both the American Boards of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics. Dr. Hecht was born and raised in Baltimore and attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. and the Sorbonne at the University of Paris receiving his BA degree cum laude with distinction from Dartmouth.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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In this Article

• Introduction
• What does melanoma look like? What are the symptoms and signs?
• What if the skin changes are rapid or dramatic?
• What are the causes and risk factors for melanoma?
• How do I know my level of risk for melanoma?
• What are the types of melanoma?
• How is melanoma diagnosed?
• How do doctors determine the prognosis (outlook) of a melanoma?
• What is the treatment for melanoma?
• What methods are available to help prevent melanoma?
• Conclusions
• What is in the future for melanoma?
• Melanoma At A Glance
• Additional Resources
• Skin Cancer (Melanoma) FAQs
• Patient Comments: Melanoma - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Melanoma - Diagnosis
• Find a local Oncologist in your town
• Melanoma Index

The main types of melanoma are:

1. Superficial spreading melanoma: This type accounts for about 70% of all cases of melanoma. The most common locations are the legs of women and the backs of men, and they occur most commonly between the ages of 30 and 50. (Note: Melanomas can occur in other locations and at other ages as well.) These melanomas are often barely raised and have a variety of colors. Such melanomas evolve over one to five years and can be readily caught at an early stage if they are detected and removed.


2. Nodular melanoma: About 20% of melanomas begin as deeper, blue-black to purplish lumps. They may evolve faster and may also be more likely to spread.


3. Lentigo maligna: Unlike other forms of melanoma, lentigo maligna tends to occur on places like the face, which are exposed to the sun constantly rather than intermittently. Lentigo maligna looks like a large, irregularly shaped or colored freckle and develops slowly. It may take many years to evolve into a more dangerous melanoma.

There are also other rarer forms of melanoma that may occur, for example, under the nails, on the palms and soles, in the eye, or sometimes even inside the body.

Most doctors diagnose melanoma by examining the spot causing concern and doing a biopsy. A skin biopsy refers to removing all or part of the skin spot under local anesthesia and sending the specimen to a pathologist for analysis.

The biopsy report may show any of the following:

• a totally benign condition requiring no further treatment, such as a regular mole;



• an atypical mole which, depending on the judgment of the doctor and the pathologist, may need a conservative removal (taking off a little bit of normal skin all around just to make sure that the spot is completely out); or



• a melanoma requiring surgery.

Some doctors are skilled in a clinical technique called epiluminescence microscopy (also called dermatoscopy). They cover a suspicious spot with oil and examine it with a brightly lit magnifying instrument. The gold standard for a solid diagnosis, however, remains a skin biopsy.