Melanoma on the lip: what to know

Melanoma is a cancer of pigment-producing cells. On the lip, it can appear as a dark patch, uneven spot, nodule, or sore that does not settle. Colour may include brown, black, grey, red, or areas that look lighter. A lesion can be on the visible lip or the inner mucosal surface, so a routine skin check may not cover every area.

A clinician may inspect the lip, mouth, nearby skin and lymph nodes. A biopsy is needed to identify melanoma and describe features that guide staging. This is different from deciding what a spot is from a photograph alone. A confirmed diagnosis may involve dermatology, oral medicine, head and neck, or oncology specialists.

Arrange an in-person assessment for a new or changing pigmented lip lesion, especially one with irregular edges, several colours, bleeding, crusting, tenderness, or growth. Do not pick it, apply a bleaching product, or delay care while watching for improvement. Photographing it in consistent light can help show change, but it does not replace examination.

If melanoma is confirmed, treatment may include surgical excision or other skin cancer surgery. The team may discuss tissue margins, reconstruction, lymph-node assessment such as sentinel lymph node biopsy, and whether immunotherapy is appropriate for the stage. Read about Melanoma and Surgical Excision for background before your appointment.

Seek prompt medical review for a lesion that changes, bleeds repeatedly, forms a persistent crust, becomes painful, or fails to heal. Seek urgent care for heavy bleeding that does not stop with steady pressure, rapidly increasing swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, or sudden facial weakness. These symptoms can have causes other than melanoma, but they still need timely assessment.

Ask whether the lesion needs a biopsy, which area will be sampled, and when results are expected. Ask what the pathology report means, whether nearby lymph nodes need assessment, how treatment could affect lip movement or appearance, and what follow-up schedule is planned. Ask which symptoms should trigger an earlier review.