Is Stage 0 melanoma really cancer?

Stage 0 melanoma is not considered invasive melanoma; the other stages (I, II, III, and IV) are invasive. In Stage 0 melanoma, there is no evidence the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to distant sites (metastasis). Stage 0 is local melanoma, meaning it has not spread beyond the primary tumor.

Is stage 1A melanoma curable?

Prognosis for Stage 1 Melanoma: With appropriate treatment, Stage I melanoma is highly curable. There is low risk for recurrence or metastasis.

Can Stage 1 melanoma come back?

Melanoma is most likely to return within the first 5 years of treatment. If you remain melanoma free for 10 years, it’s less likely that the melanoma will return. But it’s not impossible. Studies show that melanoma can return 10, 15, and even 25 years after the first treatment.

What does melanoma in situ look like?

Melanomas in situ tend to be flat and asymmetric with irregular borders. They can be black, brown, tan, gray or even pink if the person has very fair skin. Areas that receive the greatest sun exposure, such as the scalp, face and neck, are more likely to develop melanoma in situ than the arms or legs.

What stage of melanoma has the best prognosis?

Five-Year Survival Rate by Melanoma Stage:

• Localized melanoma: Stage 0, Stage I, and Stage II: 98.4%
• Regional melanoma: Stage III: 63.6%
• Metastatic melanoma: Stage IV: 22.5%

Can a melanoma appear overnight?

Melanomas may appear suddenly and without warning. They are found most frequently on the face and neck, upper back and legs, but can occur anywhere on the body.

What are the symptoms of stage 0 melanoma?

Symptoms of stage 0 melanoma are growths on the skin . These growths usually appear as a change in a mole that you already have or as a new skin growth

What are my chances of surviving melanoma?

The American Cancer Society reports the five-year survival rate for stage 3 melanoma ranges from 40 to 78 percent. The 10-year survival rate ranges from 24 to 68 percent. Stage 4 melanoma means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, brain, or other organs and tissue.

What is the first step in treating melanoma?

Often, the first step is to remove the tumor from your skin, usually with surgery . Your doctor or surgeon will numb your skin and cut out the melanoma, plus some extra skin around it. You’ll have stitches for 1-2 weeks.

What is the prognosis for melanoma?

The prognosis for a patient with melanoma depends on a number of different characteristics of the tumor, including the type and stage of progression. If melanoma can be diagnosed early, the prognosis is very high with a survival rate close to 100%, but the prognosis is significantly worsened if the diagnosis is not made until…