What should you know about surgical removal of melanoma?

A clinician removes the suspected or confirmed melanoma and a planned margin around it. The specimen is examined to describe features that affect staging and next decisions. Depending on the tumour and examination findings, the operation may be a wider excision after an initial biopsy, or a more involved tumour removal procedure. A Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy may be discussed for selected melanomas to assess nearby lymphatic spread. Surgery treats the area removed; it does not replace assessment of the rest of the skin or lymph nodes. Melanoma can also require systemic treatment such as Immunotherapy in some situations.

Ask which operation is planned, how much skin may be removed, how the wound will close, and when pathology results will be reviewed. Share medicines, allergies, bleeding problems, and previous scars. Keep the wound protected as instructed, avoid strain across the closure, and attend every review. Once healed, protect the scar and examine your skin as advised. Follow-up may include skin checks, lymph-node assessment, and discussion of additional treatment when findings warrant it.

Contact the surgical team for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pain, drainage, wound separation, or bleeding that does not settle with pressure. Seek urgent help for fever with severe illness, fainting, breathing difficulty, or rapidly worsening swelling. A new changing spot, enlarged lymph node, persistent unexplained pain, or neurological symptoms should be reported during follow-up; severe sudden neurological symptoms require emergency care.

Ask what the pathology shows, whether the margin is clear, whether lymph-node assessment is appropriate, and what surveillance schedule you need. Discuss scar care, activity limits, signs of recurrence, and when Skin Cancer Surgery, Tumour Removal Surgery, or additional treatment might be considered.