What should you know about melanoma inside the nose?

The nose contains skin and moist lining, so a dark spot, crust, sore, blocked passage, swelling, or recurrent bleeding may arise from irritation, infection, a benign growth, or a tumour. Appearance alone cannot identify melanoma. A clinician may look inside the nose with a light or small camera and may arrange a biopsy. If melanoma is confirmed, the tissue report and examination help show its depth, location, and whether nearby lymph nodes or other areas need assessment. Melanoma can spread beyond its starting site; that possibility is evaluated rather than assumed.

Arrange an appointment with a doctor, especially for a one-sided blockage, sore that does not heal, repeated bleeding, or a spot that changes in colour or shape. Do not pick, cauterise, or apply unprescribed creams to the area before assessment. Bring a list of medicines and describe when the change began, whether it is one-sided, and any bleeding, pain, smell, or breathing difficulty. Examination may involve an ear, nose and throat specialist, dermatologist, or cancer team. Depending on findings, care can include biopsy, surgical excision, staging tests, surgery, or immunotherapy.

Seek urgent medical help for bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure, trouble breathing, rapidly increasing swelling, severe pain, new vision changes, or confusion. A persistent nasal symptom without these warning signs still deserves a timely appointment. After diagnosis, follow the specialist's plan for examinations and any recommended scans or blood tests.

Ask whether the lesion needs a biopsy, which specialist will coordinate care, what the tissue report shows, whether lymph-node assessment is appropriate, and how treatment could affect breathing, smell, or appearance. Ask how follow-up will be organised after treatment.