What should you know about smoking and melanoma?

Melanoma begins in pigment-producing cells and is assessed by examining a changing or unusual lesion, not by smoking status. Smoke exposure can reduce oxygen delivery and interfere with wound repair, which matters if a lesion needs surgical excision or another procedure. A melanoma diagnosis also depends on biopsy findings and staging. It may involve checking nearby lymph nodes, reviewing the skin for additional lesions, and selecting treatment according to the disease extent and your health.

Do not delay review of a mole or mark that changes in size, shape, colour, or sensation. Photographing it beside a scale can help show change, but a photograph cannot replace examination. Tell the clinician how much you smoke, what medicines you take, and any breathing or circulation problems. If melanoma is confirmed, ask how stopping or reducing smoking may support wound care, surgery, immunotherapy, or follow-up planning.

Book a prompt skin assessment for a new or changing pigmented lesion, especially one with uneven edges, several colours, bleeding, crusting, or persistent itching. Seek urgent medical advice for a rapidly changing lesion, an open sore that does not heal, or new neurological symptoms such as severe headache, confusion, weakness, or a seizure. These signs need assessment; they do not establish melanoma or spread.

Ask whether the lesion needs biopsy, what the pathology shows, and whether sentinel lymph node biopsy or imaging is appropriate. Discuss how smoking may affect surgical excision, skin cancer surgery, tumour removal surgery, immunotherapy, and follow-up after cancer treatment. Ask which symptom should lead you to contact the team sooner.