Great news — early-stage melanoma is very treatable! For both stage 0 and stage 1, surgery is typically the main (and often only) treatment needed.
Here's what that generally looks like:
- Wide excision — the surgeon removes the melanoma along with a small border of healthy skin around it to make sure no cancer cells are Show Full Answer
Great news — early-stage melanoma is very treatable! For both stage 0 and stage 1, surgery is typically the main (and often only) treatment needed.
Here's what that generally looks like:
- Wide excision — the surgeon removes the melanoma along with a small border of healthy skin around it to make sure no cancer cells are left behind
- Lab analysis — the removed tissue is examined under a microscope to check the edges (margins) for any remaining cancer cells
- Second surgery — if cancer cells are found at the edges, a follow-up surgery may be done to remove more tissue For stage 1 specifically, the tumor has grown slightly deeper into the skin. Depending on how thick or deep the tumor is, a doctor may also want to check nearby lymph nodes, since melanoma tends to spread there first before moving to other parts of the body.
As always, it's best to talk with an oncologist or dermatologist about what's right for your specific situation.
September 11
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