Melanoma skin cancer
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in cells called melanocytes.1
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The five stages of melanoma1,2,3
Prevalence of melanoma
Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the UK with around 17,500 people diagnosed each year (2017 - 2019).4 In the last decade, melanoma incidence has risen by around a third (31%)(2017 - 2019).4
Signs and symptoms of melanoma
Up to 86% of melanoma cases are preventable,4 yet 67% of people don't check their moles for changes.5 People should regularly check themselves for existing moles that might change shape, colour or size, or the appearance of new moles, as all of these could be a sign of melanoma.6
The ABCDE checklist can be used as a simple guide to monitoring changes in moles.
The ABCDE checklist6
Treatment options for melanoma
For patients with melanoma, survival rates vary greatly depending on the stage of disease.7 Following diagnosis, options may include one or more of the following approaches:8
Surgery
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy
Targeted therapy
Immunotherapy
References
1 Cancer Research UK. What is melanoma? Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/about
Last accessed: November 2024
2 Cancer Research UK. Melanoma. Stages and types. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/stages-types
Last Accessed: November 2024
3 Melanoma Focus. Stages of Melanoma. Available at: https://melanomafocus.org/melanoma-patient-treatment-guide/melanoma-info-by-stage/stage-0-melanoma-in-situ/ Last accessed: November 2024
4 Cancer Research UK. Melanoma cancer statistics. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer#heading-Zero
Last accessed: November 2024
5 Melanoma UK. 2020 Skin Cancer Report: Stemming the Global Epidemic. Available at: https://www.melanomauk.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=91e70826-91d1-4b5e-9b0c-3dd3da10686d
Last accessed: November 2024
6 Cancer Research UK. Symptoms. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/symptoms
Last accessed: November 2024
7 Cancer Research UK. Melanoma Skin Cancer Survival. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer/survival#heading-Two
Last accessed: November 2024
8 Cancer Research UK, Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment. Available at: https://www.cancerreasearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/treatment
Last accessed: November 2024
November 2024 | ONC-GB-2400476