Melanoma is a disease in which malignant cells form in the skin cells called melanocytes (cells that color the skin). It can occur anywhere on the body. It is more aggressive than the other two types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer.
Dermatologists generally provide the initial care of patients by examining the skin and removing any unusual-looking mole or skin lesion (abnormal tissue). If a biopsy of the suspicious tissue confirms a diagnosis of melanoma, the patient is referred to a surgeon or medical oncologist for a more extensive excision of the melanoma lesion. Depending on the appearance and depth of the melanoma, additional diagnostic studies can help determine if the melanoma cells have spread to other internal organs.
Many melanomas can be cured by surgery alone. If the lymph nodes contain melanoma cells, the rest of the lymph nodes in the same area are removed by the surgeon. However, sometimes even at the time the melanoma is first diagnosed, it may already have spread to other parts of the body. Over time, tumors may grow in the lungs, the liver or other organs. Spread of the melanoma to other parts of the body (called metastatic disease), if untreated, can lead to death over a period of months to years.
In addition to surgery, standard treatment can include chemotherapy and biologic therapy. Currently, there are multiple clinical trials available for patients with metastatic melanoma. The Melanoma Program has one of only four NIH-funded Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants in the country; these grants support research projects in melanoma. Also, the Milstein Meyer Center for Melanoma Research and Treatment is dedicated to developing more investigator- initiated clinical trials and designing new treatments for the often fatal illness.