What Is Melanoma? Because it often goes undetected, and can
metastasize to other organs and areas of the body, melanoma is
the most dangerous of skin cancers. Though not the most common
skin cancer (it accounts for only about five percent of skin
cancer cases), melanoma does cause the most deaths. The John
Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) reports the alarming statistics:
"While most cases [of melanoma] are discovered early when cure
is likely, about 30 percent of patients will die of the
disease." Cases in the United States have been growing in recent
decades, with an estimated 68, 130 new cases reported in 2010,
according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).