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Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer. It begins in melanocytes— cells that make the skin pigment called melanin. Although melanoma accounts for only about 4% of all skin cancer cases, it causes most skin cancer-related deaths. The good news is that melanoma is often curable if it is detected and treated in its early stages.

In men, melanoma is found most often on the area between the shoulders and hips or on the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. It may also appear under the fingernails or toenails or on the palms or soles. The chance of developing melanoma increases with age, but it affects all age groups and is one of the most common cancers in young adults.

How Common Is Melanoma?
The number of new melanomas diagnosed in the United States is increasing. Since 1973, the rate of new melanomas diagnosed per year has more than doubled from 6 per 100,000 to 14 per 100,000.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 51,400 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States during 2001. About 7,800 Cancer Statistics deaths will be attributed to malignant melanoma in 2001.¹

How Does Melanoma Develop?
When melanoma starts in the skin, it is called cutaneous melanoma. Melanoma may also occur in the eye (ocular melanoma or intraocular melanoma) and, rarely, in other areas where melanocytes are found, such as the digestive tract, meninges, or lymph nodes. When melanoma spreads (metastasizes), cancer cells are also found in the lymph nodes and possibly also other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, or brain. In these cases, the cancer cells are still melanoma cells, and the disease is called metastatic melanoma.

What Causes Melanoma?
The main cause of melanoma is thought to be related to spending too much time in the sun, which results in exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. People with fair skin and who tend to sunburn easily — especially those with red or blond hair — may be at greatest risk because their skin cells have less melanin. Anyone who is exposed to large amounts of sunlight (such as a person who works outdoors, or who lives in areas where sunlight is very strong, like the American Southwest) is at a higher risk.