Treatment for Melanoma

Melanoma is a cancer that affects the largest organ in your body, your skin. Your skin is made up of three layers the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. In the early stages melanoma is curable and doesn't penetrate beyond your epidermis. In advanced stages melanoma can spread beyond your skin.

Features

• Typically, melanoma tumors appear black or brown on your skin. Symptoms of melanoma are new moles next to existing moles, called satellite moles; changes in size, shape or color in existing moles or moles that are ulcerated.

Stages

• After your melanoma diagnosis, the cancer is labeled or classified in stages based on appearance and advancement. There are five stages. Stages zero to one melanomas are considered early and curable. Numbers two to four melanomas are considered to be in advanced.

Early Treatment

• In the early stages, treatment includes removal of the abnormal cells and surgery to remove the tumor.

Advanced Treatments

• In advanced stages where the cancer has spread, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy treatments are used.

Considerations

• Clinical trials or research studies, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), are another treatment option for all stages of melanoma cancer. During clinical trials new drugs not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), surgeries or combined treatments are used, according to the ACS.