Also known as malignant melanoma, melanoma skin cancer is considered the most serious type of skin cancer. This is because it can quickly spread to other parts of the body. However, if caught early, it can often be successfully treated. Knowing more about this type of cancer can help with early detection and assist those living with the condition by understanding what to expect. We’ll cover all you need to know about melanoma skin cancer in this article, from what it is, to its symptoms, treatment, and more. You can also share your experiences with cancer with us at Carecircle and have access to a supportive community. At Carecircle, your voice matters.

What is melanoma skin cancer?

Melanoma skin cancer is a type of cancer where the melanocytes skin cells – which produce skin pigmentation (melanin) – grow out of control and divide quicker than they should. It typically starts in a mole or in normal-looking skin. It can also happen anywhere on the body, although parts of the body frequently protected from the sun are at less risk.

Types of melanoma skin cancer

There are five main types of melanoma skin cancer, which are diagnosed and treated in a similar way. These include:

Superficial spreading melanoma

Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common type of melanoma skin cancer. It tends to:

• Grow outwards
• Be more commonly found on men’s backs and women’s legs
• Look like a mole or freckle that gets bigger and/or has an irregular shape
• Look like a mole in colour (although it can also be black, red, and even white)
• Change size over time
• Sometimes be itchy
• Have a successful treatment rate
• Become more dangerous if it grows down into the skin, where it can spread to other parts of the body

Nodular melanoma

Nodular melanoma is a fast-developing type of cancer. Typically, it:

• Looks like a dome-shaped growth that can be black, bluish, dark brown, or red in colour
• Is firm and hard to the touch
• Grows on normal skin
• Often grows on the neck, head, chest, or back
• Can often bleed or weep
• Can spread quickly under the skin (early detection and treatment are essential)
• Is more difficult to treat if it spreads to other parts of the body

Lentigo maligna melanoma

Also known as Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle, lentigo maligna melanoma develops slowly over the course of years. This type of skin cancer:

• Is more common in older people, especially those who spend a lot of time in the sun
• Tends to develop in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face
• Often looks like a flat or slightly raised freckle or age spot that is an irregular shape
• Can be brown, red, pink, or white in colour (or a combination of)
• Is usually darker and more pronounced than a freckle
• Can grow and change shape
• Can be wider than 6mm in Size
• Can spread deeper into the skin at later stages, becoming more dangerous and difficult to treat

Amelanotic melanoma

Amelanotic melanoma is a form of skin cancer that can be easy to miss because it doesn’t produce any changes in skin pigmentation (melanin). This type of melanoma skin cancer can:

• Be slightly reddish and pinkish in colour and have no colour at all
• Appear skin coloured and blend in with skin around it
• Have light brown or grey edges
• Grow over time and change shape
• Be misidentified as scars or moles
• Feel painful and sore
• Spread quickly throughout the body
• Be easy to treat in its early stages
• Become more difficult to treat and life-threatening at later stages

Acral lentiginous melanoma

Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare type of skin cancer that usually affects the hands and feet. It tends to:

• Be more common in darker skin tones (although it can affect anyone)
• Affect the palms, the soles of the feet, or under/around the nails
• Look like a dark, reddish, orangey spot with a clear border separating it from the skin around it
• Be uneven and jagged
• Become rough and bumpy as it grows
• Be successful to treat and not fatal, though in later stages it may require parts of the hand or feet to be amputated to stop it from spreading

Stages of melanoma

There are 5 stages of melanoma. Each stage describes the amount of cancer in the body. Known as staging, it is a useful classification that can help determine the treatment and how serious the melanoma is. The 5 stages are:

Melanoma in situ (stage 0)

Stage 0 is where the melanoma is in situ, which means it is still in its place. The malignant tumour of stage 0 is confined to the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. It has not spread to other parts of the body.

Stage 1 melanoma

Stage 1 melanoma is a localised tumour with cancerous cells in the upper and inner layers of the skin (the epidermis and dermis). It is no more than 2mm thick and may or may not be ulcerated. Stage 1 has also not spread to other parts of the body.

Stage 2 melanoma

Stage 2 melanoma has cancerous cells in the epidermis and dermis. It has all the features of stage 1 melanoma. However, it is thicker than 1mm and can be thicker than 4mm. This stage of melanoma also has no signs of spreading to other parts of the body.

Stage 3 melanoma

Stage 3 melanoma is divided into four subgroups: melanoma stage 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. This stage and each sub-group details the ulceration of the cancer and its spread to the lymph nodes. At this point, the melanoma has not spread to distant parts of the body.

Stage 4 melanoma

Stage 4 melanoma is where the cancer has spread from its initial site and lymph nodes to distant parts of the body, such as the organs. Stage 4 melanoma is difficult to cure, yet there are patients who respond well to treatment, going on to live many years after diagnosis.

What are the signs and symptoms of melanoma?

The main sign of melanoma skin cancer is usually a new mole or an existing mole that has changed appearance, size, colour, and/or shape. The condition also has a range of other signs and symptoms to look out for, including:

• A mole that is itchy or sore
• A mole that bleeds
• A mole that changes size, shape, or colour

When checking moles, you can use the A, B, C, D, E guidelines to spot the difference between a regular mole and a melanoma. This alphabetical check stands for:

1. Asymmetrical – unlike regular moles, melanomas tend to have an irregular shape or two different halves
2. Border – most melanomas have uneven borders that are notched or ragged
3. Colours – melanomas can be black, blue, brown, pink, red, tan, or white and they typically have two different colours
4. Diameter – melanomas are often wider than 6mm (or a 1/4 of an inch)
5. Evolving or enlarging – melanomas can change size, shape, and colour, and they can bleed, itch, ooze, and start to crust

If you have any of these signs or symptoms, be sure to visit a doctor asap for a professional diagnosis. It is easier to treat melanoma skin cancer when it is in its early stages, so early diagnosis is important.

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What causes melanoma skin cancer?

Melanoma skin cancer is caused by abnormal skin cells that grow out of control due to DNA damage. Sudden exposure to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation – through sunburn or tanning – is what triggers the damage and uncontrolled cell growth mutations. In addition to the sun’s UV rays and tanning beds, other risk factors of melanoma skin cancer include:

• Having a history of sunburns
• Having pale skin that burns easily
• Having lots of moles and freckles
• Having light hair (such as red or blonde)
• Having a close family member who has had the condition
• Having a personal history of skin cancer
• Having a weakened immune system
• Being exposed to excessive UV light

How do you diagnose melanoma?

Your doctor will first perform a physical exam, checking the suspected mole or area of skin for signs and symptoms. To diagnose melanoma skin cancer, the suspected mole/area might then be removed in a simple biopsy procedure. This skin tissue will then be sent to a lab, where it will be examined under a microscope to look for cancerous cells. The biopsy report can determine:

• The type of melanoma skin cancer
• How deep it has grown into the skin
• How quickly it is growing
• And potentially, the stage of the melanoma

A sentinel node biopsy may also be performed to see if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes. This procedure involves an injection of dye into the site of the removed melanoma, followed by a biopsy of the first lymph node to take up the dye. Advanced-stage melanomas may require a CT scan, an X-ray, and/or a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to see the spread of the cancer.

Become part of our global health revolution at Carecircle and find support from others living with melanoma skin cancer. Share your experiences with the condition and share your story. Because together, we can help each other into a new tomorrow.

Melanoma treatment

If you show any signs or symptoms of melanoma skin cancer, always see your doctor immediately. Early treatment of the condition is often successful, whereas it can become more life-threatening at later stages. The main treatment for melanoma is surgery to remove the cancer. Advanced stages of melanoma may also require:

• Immunotherapy – a drug treatment that gets your immune system to fight cancer
• Targeted therapy – a drug treatment that targets weak points in cancer cells to destroy them
• Chemotherapy – a drug that destroys cancer cells, which can be taken intravenously (through a vein), in pill form, or both
• Radiation therapy – also known as radiotherapy, uses high doses of ionising radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumours.

Preventing melanoma skin cancer

Whilst it’s not always possible to prevent melanoma skin cancer, there are ways to reduce the risks of it developing. You can lower the risk of skin cancer by:

• Making sure you avoid getting sunburnt
• Using sunscreen (at least factor 30)
• Seeking shade when the sun is at its strongest (between 11 am to 3 pm)
• Wearing sensible clothes in the sun
• Avoiding sunbeds and sunlamps
• Performing regular checks of your moles and skin

Living with melanoma skin cancer

For those living with melanoma skin cancer, it can stir up a wide range of conflicting emotions. There are no right or wrong feelings here – everyone reacts in their own way. To come to terms with (and gain control over) a melanoma diagnosis, it can be helpful to join a support group or to talk to a counsellor to be able to share your experiences, your issues, and your worries. It can be a good idea to research, at your own pace, further information on melanoma skin cancer as well. Knowing things ahead of time means you’ll know what to expect.

If you’ve had melanoma skin cancer, you can be more at risk of developing it again. After or during treatment, it’s important to:

• Regularly check your skin, using the ABCDE guidelines
• Have regular check-ups with your doctor
• Not spend too much time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 am-4 pm
• Shield yourself from harmful UV rays
• Wear at least a factor 30 sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays
• Reapply said sunscreen every 2 hours (or more if swimming)
• Cover your skin with long-sleeved tops and trousers
• Wear UV-protective sunglasses (to minimise the risk of developing eye melanoma)
• Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds

Melanoma survival rate

Melanoma survival rates differ around the world. However, when treated early, treatment is more successful and with much higher rates of survival. We can get a general idea of the survival rate thanks to statistics from the American Cancer Society and Cancer Research UK. According to the American Cancer Society, if the melanoma:

• Has not spread and remains localised (where it started), 99% of patients will survive for at least 5 years or more
• Has spread to the lymph nodes, 65% of patients will survive for at least 5 years or more
• Has spread beyond the lymph nodes to other parts of the body 25% of patients will survive for at least 5 years or more

Whilst focused on England, the statistics from Cancer Research UK also provide an indication of survival rates. They state:

• Almost 100% of patients will survive melanoma skin cancer for 1 year after diagnosis – and almost 100% of those diagnosed at Stage 1 melanoma will survive for 5 years or more
• Approximately 90% of patients will survive melanoma skin cancer for 5 years or more following diagnosis – and 80% of those diagnosed at Stage 2 melanoma will survive for 5 years or more
• More than 85% will survive melanoma skin cancer for 10 years or more following diagnosis – and 70% of those diagnosed at Stage 3 melanoma will survive for 5 years or more

Join a worldwide community for health at Carecircle and speak to others living with melanoma skin cancer. Share your personal experiences with the condition, so together we can support one another through difficult times.

Melanoma skin cancer FAQs

Here, we answer all your frequently asked questions on melanoma skin cancer. We get to the point and answer your queries directly, so you can get the health information you need in an instant.

What does a cancerous mole look like?

Whilst there are always exceptions to the rule, a cancerous mole – using the ABCDE guidelines – looks:

• Asymmetrical (with an irregular shape, often of two halves)
• Border (with uneven borders that can be ragged or notched)
• Colours (with two colours, and/or black, blue, brown, pink, red, tan, or white)
• Diameter (with a width large than 6mm)
• Evolving (with changing characteristics, changing shape, colour, size, and/or bleeding or crusting)

If you have a mole that shows any of these signs, see your doctor immediately.

How long can you have melanoma and not know it?

It depends on the type of melanoma. However, it’s possible to have this type of skin cancer for years, even decades, without experiencing any serious symptoms.

What does melanoma look like?

Melanoma can look like an existing or a new mole on the skin that has an irregular shape, with uneven borders and a diameter larger than 6mm. It can be two different colours and/or black, blue, brown, pink, red, tan, or white in colour. It can also change shape, colour, and size, and it can bleed, ooze, and crust over.

How to tell if a mole is cancerous?

The first sign of a mole being cancerous is usually a new mole or an existing mole that changes shape, size, and colour. It may bleed, look crusty, or ooze, and it can be itchy and sore. It may also be two colours, or be black, blue, brown, pink, red, tan, or white in colour. If you have a mole showing any of these signs, see a doctor for a professional diagnosis.

Do you have a question about melanoma skin cancer you need answering? Join the conversation at Carecircle for free and become part of our supportive community, where you can talk with others living with melanoma skin cancer and ask us further questions on the condition.

Melanoma skin cancer Resources

Below are some additional resources about melanoma cancer, which patients, carers, and interested individuals may wish to review. At Carecircle, we’ll always point you in the right direction towards further information that could bring greater help, hope, and control.

• Macmillan Cancer Support
• Cancer Research UK – Practical Support
• Cancer Research UK – Resources and Organisations
• Skin Cancer Foundation – Support Resources
• Melanoma UK
• Irish Cancer Society
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• Skcin.org
• Melanoma Research Alliance
• Melanoma Focus
• AAD – Financial Assistance
• Melanoma.org – Financial Assistance
• The Mole Clinic

Melanoma skin cancer is a serious condition. If you show any symptoms, please visit your doctor to get a professional diagnosis and to get the right treatment. For those living with melanoma skin cancer, it can also be helpful to be part of a support group where you can discuss your health experiences and challenges in order to gain control of your diagnosis. And during your journey, we at Carecircle are always here whenever you need additional information, help, and hope.

To comment, react, ask questions, or receive support from others living with melanoma skin cancer, join Carecircle today for free. Become part of a global community for health and share your story.

Guide Resources

• https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer.html
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/melanoma-skin-cancer/
• https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-warning-signs-and-images/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/melanoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374888
• https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/
• https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/melanoma
• https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer.html
• https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma
• https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/types/common/melanoma
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14391-melanoma
• https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer/survival#heading-Four
• https://www.healthline.com/health/melanoma-prognosis-and-survival-rates#factors-affecting-survival-rates
• https://www.aimatmelanoma.org/stages-of-melanoma/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/amelanotic-melanoma#life-expectancy-and-prognosis
• https://www.healthline.com/health/acral-lentiginous-melanoma#outlook
• https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-cancer/nodular-melanoma
• https://www.healthline.com/health/melanoma-symptoms/lentigo-maligna-melanoma
• https://www.healthline.com/health/superficial-spreading-melanoma#symptoms
• https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/melanoma/types/amelanotic-melanoma#:~:text=What%20is%20amelanotic%20melanoma%3F,with%20gray%20or%20brownish%20edges.