What should you know about internal melanoma?

Melanoma starts in melanocytes, the cells that make pigment. Most melanomas begin in skin, but melanoma can also occur in places such as the eye or mucosal tissue. When skin melanoma travels to lymph nodes or another organ, clinicians describe the location as metastatic disease. Symptoms depend on the area involved and may be vague, such as a persistent lump, unexplained pain, neurological change or altered bowel or breathing symptoms. These symptoms do not identify melanoma by themselves, but they should be assessed when persistent or progressive.

Arrange prompt review with a dermatologist or cancer specialist if a changing mole, new pigmented mark, non-healing spot or unexplained lump concerns you. Diagnosis may involve a skin examination, imaging, removal of a suspicious lesion for laboratory analysis and, in selected cases, a sentinel lymph node biopsy. If melanoma is confirmed, further tests help determine whether it has spread and guide treatment. Options can include surgical excision, skin cancer surgery, tumour removal surgery or immunotherapy, depending on the site and stage.

Contact a clinician promptly for a rapidly changing or bleeding pigmented lesion, a new firm lump near a previous melanoma, or symptoms that persist without explanation. Seek emergency help for sudden weakness, a seizure, new confusion, severe breathing difficulty or collapse. These signs have many possible causes, but urgent assessment is needed. Anyone previously treated for melanoma should follow the planned surveillance schedule and report new symptoms between visits rather than waiting for the next appointment.

Where is the suspected melanoma and how will it be confirmed? Do I need imaging or a sentinel lymph node biopsy? Has it spread beyond the original site? Which treatment and follow-up plan fit my results?