Melanoma (cont.)
Treatment choices by stage
The following are brief descriptions of the treatments most often used for
each stage. (Other treatments may sometimes be appropriate.)
Stage 0
People with Stage 0 melanoma may have minor surgery to remove the tumor and
some of the surrounding tissue.
Stage I
People with Stage I melanoma may have surgery to remove the tumor. The
surgeon may also remove as much as 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) of tissue around the
tumor. To cover the wound, the patient may have skin grafting.
Stage II or stage III
People with Stage II or Stage III melanoma may have surgery to remove the
tumor. The surgeon may also remove as much as 3 centimeters (1 1/4 inches) of
nearby tissue. Skin grafting may be done to cover the wound. Sometimes the
surgeon removes nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV
People with Stage IV melanoma often receive palliative care. The goal of
palliative care is to help the patient feel better -- physically and emotionally.
This type of treatment is intended to control pain and other symptoms and to
relieve the side effects of therapy (such as nausea), rather than to extend
life.
The patient may have one of the following:
- Surgery to remove lymph nodes that contain cancer cells or to remove tumors
that have spread to other areas of the body
- Radiation therapy, biological therapy, or chemotherapy to relieve symptoms
Recurrent melanoma
Treatment for recurrent melanoma depends on where the cancer came back, which
treatments the patient has already received, and other factors. As with Stage IV
melanoma, treatment usually cannot cure melanoma that recurs. Palliative care is
often an important part of the treatment plan. Many patients have palliative
care to ease their symptoms while they are getting anticancer treatments to slow
the progress of the disease. Some receive only palliative care to improve their
quality of life by easing pain, nausea, and other symptoms.
The patient may have one of the following:
- Surgery to remove the tumor
- Radiation therapy, biological therapy, or chemotherapy to relieve symptoms
- Heated chemotherapy drugs injected directly into the tumor
Next: What are the side effects of treatment for melanoma? »
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