What Is Melanoma?
Updated on September 11, 2026
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Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. It’s typically caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds.
When caught early, melanoma is often treatable. The five-year survival rate for localized melanoma (melanoma that hasn’t spread to nearby tissue or distant parts of the body) is over 97 percent.
Melanoma that goes undiagnosed can spread to other parts of the body. This makes it harder to treat, and it carries a higher risk of becoming deadly.
Types of Melanoma
There are several types of skin melanoma, and they differ in key ways — including how common they are, where on your body they tend to develop, and how aggressive they can be. They include:
- Superficial Spreading Melanoma This is the most common type of melanoma. It typically grows across the top layer of skin and may penetrate deeper, especially on the torso or legs.
- Lentigo Maligna This type of melanoma usually develops slowly on the outermost layer of chronically sun-damaged skin, particularly the face and neck of older adults. When it becomes invasive, it is called lentigo maligna melanoma.
- Nodular Melanoma This is the most aggressive form of melanoma. It occurs in about 10 to 15 percent of cases and has usually begun to spread to deeper tissue when symptoms start or when it's diagnosed.
- Acral Lentiginous This generally appears as a dark mark underneath toenails or fingernails, on the sole of the foot, or on the palm of the hand.
Non-Skin Melanomas
Melanomas can develop in any part of your body with melanocytes, a type of cell that creates melanin.
Although very rare, melanoma can also develop in or around your eye. Ocular melanoma doesn’t typically cause symptoms, so it's important to get regular eye exams so a doctor can find it before it impacts your vision.
Mucosal melanoma, which is also rare, can occur in any mucous membrane. That includes nasal passages, your throat, vagina, anus, or mouth.
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Holly Rowe — Skin Spots and Taking a Melanoma Diagnosis Seriously
When sports reporter Holly Rowe was diagnosed with stage 3 desmoplastic melanoma, she learned to take those spots on her skin seriously.
Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma
The most important sign of melanoma is a new spot on your skin or a spot that is changing in shape, size, or color.
Another sign is a spot that looks different from all the other spots on your skin, sometimes called the ugly duckling sign.
The ABCDE guide can help you recognize the warning signs and whether you should see a doctor to check if a spot might be melanoma:
- A is for asymmetry. One half of a mole doesn't match the other.
- B is for border. The border is irregular.
- C is for color. The color isn't uniform and may contain different shades of brown, black, pink, red, white, or blue.
- D is for diameter. The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (although some melanomas can be smaller).
- E is for evolving. The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.
Poll
Melanoma In the Eye: Can It Happen?
Causes of and Risk Factors for Melanoma
Melanoma occurs when melanocytes (cells that give your skin its color) experience DNA changes that lead to cancerous growth. This growth leads to tumors, or melanomas.
It’s not clear exactly what causes melanoma, but experts agree that UV radiation from sunlight and indoor tanning is a major preventable risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. Genetics and other risk factors may also play a role.
Other risk factors for melanoma include:
- Family history of melanoma
- One or more severe sunburns
- More than 50 typical moles
- One or more atypical moles
- Weakened immune system
How Is Melanoma Diagnosed?
You may receive regular skin exams during routine health checkups with your doctor or from a dermatologist. If they suspect that an area of your skin might be melanoma, they will likely do a biopsy. This is a procedure that involves examining a sample of the affected tissue under a microscope to determine if it contains melanoma.
Staging Melanoma
If you receive a diagnosis of melanoma, the next step is to determine the extent of the cancer, or stage.
Staging melanoma is a complex, vitally important process that both indicates how severe the cancer is and what kinds of treatment could most help.
Doctors stage the severity of melanoma using the numbers 0 through 4. The higher the stage, the more advanced the cancer.
While many considerations go into staging melanoma, doctors use three main criteria, called the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system:
- Tumor (T) Doctors measure the melanoma under a microscope with a special tool to determine its thickness and whether there is ulceration (when the skin is broken due to the tumor). In general, the thicker the melanoma, the more serious the disease.
- Node (N) If there's a risk that the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or surrounding tissues, doctors may remove them to test for cancer cells.
- Metastasis (M) If doctors suspect that the cancer may have spread, they might use imaging tests, such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan, to look for signs of cancer in other areas of the body.
Treatment Options for Melanoma
When melanoma is detected early, before it has spread, treatment typically involves surgery to remove the tumor. More-advanced forms of melanoma can be more challenging to treat.
Surgery
When melanoma is localized (limited to a certain part of the body), it can usually be treated with surgery to remove the melanoma. During this outpatient procedure, a surgeon cuts out the affected tissue as well as some of the healthy tissue around it.
If the melanoma has spread deeper into the skin or to nearby lymph nodes, you may have other tests or treatments to make sure all the cancer cells are killed.
Cancer Therapies
Metastatic melanoma can be difficult to treat, but there are options. These include:
- Radiation therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Chemotherapy
In August 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Tudriqev (vusolimogene oderparepvec), a new type of oncolytic virus therapy for people with advanced skin cancer that no longer responds to PD-1 blocking treatments (a common type of immunotherapy).
When used in combination with the immunotherapy drug nivolumab (Opdivo), Tudriqev may help restore immune response in people with cancer that previously stopped responding to immunotherapy.
Perspectives
Holly Rowe
Melanoma Survivor
“One of the interesting things I found through all of this is it’s hard to talk to your family about what you’re scared about because it scares them.”
Transcript Available
Lifestyle Changes and Prevention of Melanoma
The following strategies can help limit your exposure to UV rays and reduce your risk of melanoma and other types of skin cancer:
- Wear protective clothing. If you’re spending time outside, you can protect yourself by wearing a broad-brimmed hat, UV-protective glasses, and garments that cover as much skin as possible. Dark, tightly woven clothes are also good UV shields.
- Wear sunscreen year-round. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, even on cloudy days. Remember to reapply regularly and after sweating or swimming.
- Avoid tanning beds and lamps. Tanning beds and lamps give off UV light, which can increase your risk of melanoma.
- Get regular skin exams from a dermatologist. Regular skin exams can help detect cancer early, improving your chance of successful treatment.
- Do self-exams to check for skin changes. Regular self-exams will help familiarize you with all the moles, spots, and other growths on your body. This makes it easier to spot any changes in color, size, shape, or other traits that may indicate cancer.
FAQ
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer. It develops in skin cells known as melanocytes. In rare cases, melanoma may also occur in the mouth, sinuses, intestines, female genital tract, or eyes.
What does melanoma look like?
You can look for signs of melanoma using the ABCDE rule: A for asymmetry; B for irregular border; C for colors like pink, red, white, or black; D for a diameter of more than 6 millimeters; E for changing or evolving.
Does melanoma itch?
Melanoma can take the form of itchy, crusty, scabbed, or bleeding sores, but it is often asymptomatic (doesn't cause symptoms).
What causes melanoma?
Melanoma is most commonly caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning beds. Genetics and a family history of melanoma may also contribute to its development.
Is melanoma curable?
When detected at an early, localized stage, as happens in almost 4 out of 5 cases, melanoma is highly treatable. Melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body can be serious and require more invasive treatment.
Resources We Trust
- Mayo Clinic: Melanoma Pictures to Help Identify Skin Cancer
- Cleveland Clinic: Is That Mole Cancerous?
- The American Melanoma Foundation: Melanoma Risk Factors
- Melanoma Research Alliance: Just Diagnosed With Melanoma
- American Cancer Society: Melanoma Skin Cancer
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Melanoma. Skin Cancer Foundation. September 2026.
- Five-Year Survival Rates. National Cancer Institute. September 10, 2026.
- Porter D. What Is Ocular Melanoma? American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 13, 2026.
- Types of Melanoma. City of Hope. May 27, 2022.
- Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma Skin Cancer. American Cancer Society. August 12, 2026.
- Melanoma: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. December 30, 2023.
- Understanding Melanoma Staging. Melanoma Research Alliance.
- Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging of Melanoma Skin Cancer. American Cancer Society. August 12, 2026.
- FDA Approves New Engineered Viral Immunotherapy for Patients with Treatment-Resistant Advanced Melanoma. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. August 6, 2026.
- Okobi OE et al. Trends in Melanoma Incidence, Prevalence, Stage at Diagnosis, and Survival: An Analysis of the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) Database. Cureus. October 2, 2024.
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Blair Murphy-Rose, MD
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Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and the founder of Skincare Junkie. She is an accomplished cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatologist,...
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