What should you know about what type of cancer melanoma is?

Melanocytes make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. Melanoma is a melanocytic cancer, different from tumours that begin in other skin cells. It may start in a mole or previously normal-looking skin, and less commonly in the eye, mouth, or nasal lining. Colour alone cannot diagnose it. A biopsy provides the diagnosis and helps describe features used for staging.

Arrange assessment for a changing mole, new dark mark, sore that does not heal, or unexplained bleeding. A clinician may inspect the skin and nearby lymph nodes, then remove part or all of a suspicious lesion for laboratory review. Confirmed melanoma may require staging, surgical excision, sentinel lymph node biopsy, or further treatment depending on the findings.

Book a timely assessment for a lesion that changes or repeatedly bleeds. Seek urgent help for uncontrolled bleeding, sudden vision loss, severe breathing difficulty, or new neurological symptoms. A suspicious appearance does not establish melanoma; diagnosis comes from assessment and tissue testing.

Ask what the biopsy shows, whether its depth affects staging, whether lymph-node assessment is needed, what treatment is recommended, and what follow-up is planned.