Melanoma Home Page - National Cancer Institute

Definition of melanoma: A form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines. 

Estimated new cases and deaths from melanoma in the United States in 2011:

	New cases: 70,230
	Deaths: 8,790

See the online booklet What You Need To Know About™ Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers to learn about melanoma symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.

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Melanoma Home Page - National Cancer Institute

Clinical Trials

Information and current news about clinical trials and trial-related data

• Melanoma Trial Results
• Clinical Trials for Melanoma
• How to Find a Cancer Treatment Trial

Cancer Literature

Resources available from the PubMed database

• Cancer Topic Searches: Skin Cancers and Melanoma
• Cancer Topic Searches: Cancer Genetics
• Cancer Literature in PubMed

Research and Related Information

Includes NCI-supported research, funding opportunities, and special reports

• Cancer Trends Progress Report: Sun Protection
• Skin SPOREs
• NCI Funded Research Portfolio

Statistics

Information related to cancer incidence, mortality, and survival

• Cancer Stat Fact Sheet: Melanoma of the Skin
• Snapshot of Melanoma
• Finding Cancer Statistics
• Understanding Cancer Statistics

Treatment

Information about treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine therapy

• Melanoma Treatment
  [ patient ] [ health professional ]
• Clinical Trials to Treat Melanoma
• Intraocular (Eye) Melanoma Treatment
  [ patient ] [ health professional ]
• Clinical Trials to Treat Intraocular (Eye) Melanoma
• Drugs Approved for Melanoma
• New Therapies Offer Much-Needed Options for Patients with Melanoma
• Metastatic Cancer

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Prevention, Genetics, Causes

Information related to prevention, genetics, risk factors

• Skin Cancer Prevention
  [ patient ] [ health professional ]
• Genetics of Skin Cancer
  [ health professional ]
• Clinical Trials to Prevent Melanoma
• Anyone Can Get Skin Cancer
• Regular Sunscreen Use May Reduce Invasive Melanoma Risk
• Melanoma Risk Assessment Tool
• Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle
• Understanding Gene Testing
• Cancer Genetics Services Directory

Screening and Testing

Information about methods of cancer detection including new imaging technologies, tumor markers, and biopsy procedures

• Skin Cancer Screening
  [ patient ] [ health professional ]
• Interpreting Laboratory Test Results
• Tumor Markers: Q&A