Prognosis of Malignant Melanoma

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women in the U.S., reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in skin cells responsible for pigment known as melanocytes.

Significance

• The largest contributing factor that determines your prognosis after a diagnosis of malignant melanoma is how thick the cancerous tumor is when found, explains the Cleveland Clinic. This is because the deeper the cancer moves into your skin, the greater the likelihood that it will enter a blood vessel or lymph node and spread to another area in your body, reports the American Academy of Dermatology.

Types of Stages

• There are four main stages of malignant melanoma determined by how deep the tumor is, whether or not there is an ulcer or sore associated with the melanoma and whether or not the cancer has spread. If the cancer has spread, the location and severity of the spread are also taken into consideration.

Testing

• To determine the prognosis of malignant melanoma, doctors perform a biopsy by removing the tumor or a portion of it and sending it away for analysis at a medical laboratory, explains the Cleveland Clinic. In some cases, your doctor may also take a sample of your lymph nodes.

Statistics

• When caught during its earliest stage, 95 percent of patients with malignant melanoma survive for five years, while 88 percent reach the 10-year anniversary of diagnosis, explains the Cleveland Clinic. If discovered during the most advanced stage, the five-year survival rate drops to 7 to 19 percent with a 10-year survival rate of 3 to 16 percent.

Considerations

• Your individual prognosis may vary from statistical averages. Your oncologist will be able to give you a more exact idea of the likelihood of your full recovery from malignant melanoma.