MELANOMA FACTS
The chance of developing melanoma increases with age, but melanoma can affect
anyone, no matter their age, sex, or race.
Melanoma can occur on any skin surface; in men, melanoma is often found on the trunk
(the area between the shoulders and the hips) or the head and neck. In women, it often
develops on the lower legs.
Melanoma occurs when melanocytes (pigment cells) become malignant. Most pigment
cells are in the skin; when melanoma starts in the skin, the disease is called cutaneous
melanoma. Melanoma may also occur in the eye (ocular melanoma or intraocular
melanoma). Rarely, melanoma may arise in the meninges, the digestive tract, lymph
nodes, or other areas where melanocytes are found.
When melanoma spreads, cancer cells may show up in nearby lymph nodes. Groups of
lymph nodes are found throughout the body. Lymph nodes trap bacteria, cancer cells,
or other harmful substances that may be in the lymphatic system. If the cancer has
reached the lymph nodes, it may mean that cancer cells have spread to other parts of
the body such as the liver, lungs, or brain. In such cases, the cancer cells in the new
tumor are still melanoma cells, and the disease is called metastatic melanoma, not liver,
lung, or brain cancer.
(See Risks Factors)

Information provided by the National Cancer Institute, The Skin Cancer Foundation,
and the Melanoma Research Foundation. For more detailed information go to:

National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/melanoma
The Skin Cancer Foundation - http://www.skincancer.org
Melanoma Research Foundation - http://www.melanoma.org


Disclaimer:
The material contained on this site is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended and should not
construed to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should not rely on any
information contained on this site as a substitute for medical advice and always seek the advice of your physician or other
qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States; and
melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer.

Melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States and
worldwide; and in the United States, the percentage of people who
develop melanoma has more than doubled in the past 30 years.