What should you know about nodular melanoma?

Unlike a flat spot that changes slowly, a nodular lesion may become raised, firm, or darker over a relatively short period. It can be black, brown, pink, red, or a mixture of colours, and it may bleed, crust, itch, or feel tender. A smooth surface does not rule out melanoma, and a harmless-looking lump cannot be classified reliably from a photograph alone.

Diagnosis usually involves examining the whole skin and removing or sampling the suspicious area for laboratory assessment. The report helps determine depth and other features that guide staging. Melanoma is the underlying condition; Brain Metastases describes spread to the brain and is not a conclusion that can be drawn from a skin nodule.

Book a prompt appointment with a dermatologist or qualified clinician for a new, changing, bleeding, or non-healing nodule. Do not pick it, attempt to remove it, or cover it with a cosmetic product that makes monitoring difficult. Record when you first noticed it and any change in size, colour, shape, bleeding, or sensation.

If melanoma is confirmed, care may include Surgical Excision or other Skin Cancer Surgery. A Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy may be discussed when staging information could affect decisions. Depending on the findings, Tumour Removal Surgery, Immunotherapy, and structured Follow-Up After Cancer Treatment may be considered.

Arrange urgent clinical review for a lesion that is rapidly changing, repeatedly bleeding, ulcerated, painful, or unlike your other marks. Seek emergency help for uncontrolled bleeding, severe weakness, new confusion, a seizure, or sudden neurological symptoms. Those emergency symptoms need immediate care whether or not a skin lesion has been diagnosed.

Ask whether the lesion needs excision or biopsy, how pathology will guide staging, whether nearby lymph nodes need assessment, and which treatment team will coordinate care. Ask how to check your skin and protect it from ultraviolet exposure during follow-up.