What is melanoma? Melanoma is a kind of skin cancer. It isn't as
common as other types of skin cancer, but it is the Melanoma can
affect your skin only, or it may spread to your organs and
bones. As with other cancers, treatment for melanoma works best
when the cancer is found early. This topic is about melanoma
that occurs in the skin. It doesn't cover melanoma that occurs
in the eye or in any other part of the body besides the skin.
What causes melanoma? You can get melanoma by spending too much
time in the sun. Too much sun exposure causes normal skin cells
to become abnormal. These abnormal cells quickly grow out of
control and attack the tissues around them. You are at higher
risk for melanoma if you have many abnormal, or atypical, moles.
These moles may fade into the skin and have a flat part that is
level with the skin. They may be smooth or slightly scaly, or
they may look rough and "pebbly." Having these moles may also be
a sign that melanoma runs in your family. What are the symptoms?
The main sign