Melanoma stage 1: what to know

Staging brings together the melanoma’s depth in the skin, whether the surface is ulcerated, and whether examination has found spread to lymph nodes or distant organs. Stage 1 generally describes a tumour confined to the skin without evidence of spread. The pathology report helps your team distinguish an earlier stage 1A pattern from a stage 1B pattern, although the exact category depends on the findings recorded.

The stage is not a judgement about how you feel or how visible the mole was. A small-looking lesion can still need prompt specialist care, and a diagnosis does not establish what another changing mark represents. Learn more about [Melanoma] and how it is evaluated.

Treatment commonly starts with [Surgical Excision] to remove the melanoma and a margin of nearby skin. The removed tissue is examined to confirm the diagnosis and margins. Depending on thickness and other features, your specialist may discuss a [Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy]; it samples the first draining lymph node and is not required for every stage 1 melanoma.

Keep the wound-care instructions, arrange the pathology discussion, and ask how often your skin and lymph-node areas should be checked. Protect exposed skin from ultraviolet light and examine your skin in a consistent way so a new or changing lesion is noticed early. [Follow-Up After Cancer Treatment] can help explain surveillance planning.

Contact your treating team promptly if the surgical wound becomes increasingly red, swollen, hot, painful, or produces discharge, or if you develop fever. Seek assessment for a new or changing mole, a sore that does not heal, bleeding, or a firm lump near the original site or in the nearby lymph-node region. New persistent symptoms such as unexplained headaches, weakness, or vision changes need medical attention; they do not by themselves identify spread.

Ask: What are the measured thickness and ulceration findings? Were the margins clear? Is sentinel node sampling appropriate for my pathology? How will the scar and nearby lymph nodes be checked? Which changes should prompt an earlier appointment?