Melanoma
Diagnosis and tests
Diagnosing melanoma
Visit your family doctor (GP) first. They will examine your skin carefully. They can then refer you to hospital for more testing by a skin specialist (dermatologist). The testing will include an excision biopsy.
Excision biopsy
A biopsy means taking a sample of cells and looking at them under a microscope to see if there are cancer cells in the sample. With an excision biopsy, the entire mole or affected tissue is removed and examined in the laboratory. The doctor who does the surgery is a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. The doctor examining the mole is a pathologist.
If melanoma is found early, you may not need any more treatment after the mole is removed. If more treatment is needed, your doctor will talk to you about your options. For example, scans may be needed to find out if you need more treatment.
Read more about treatments for melanoma.
A dermatologist is a doctor who specialises in treating skin problems.
If you are diagnosed with melanoma cancer, we're here for you.
Our cancer nurses are here if you need information or just want to talk. They can help you to understand your diagnosis and what to expect, send you information and tell you about our services.
Waiting for test results
While some results may come back quickly, others may take a few weeks.
Waiting for results can be an anxious time. It may help to talk things over with your doctor or nurse or with a relative or close friend.
You can also call our Support Line on 1800 200 700 or visit a Daffodil Centre to speak to a cancer nurse.
What are the stages of melanoma?
Knowing the stage of your cancer is very important, as it helps your doctor to decide the best treatment for you. Melanoma staging looks at:
- The thickness of the tumour in milimetres: How far has it grown into the deeper layers of your skin?
- Ulceration: Has the cancer broken the surface of the skin?
- Lymph nodes: Has it spread to your lymph nodes?
- Metastasis: Has it spread to any other parts of your body?
Your doctor often uses this information to give your cancer a number stage – from 1 to 4. A higher number, such as stage 4, means a more advanced cancer.
This is the very earliest stage of melanoma. The melanoma cells are only in the very top layer of the skin (epidermis). Melanoma in situ does not usually spread to other parts of the body.
The melanoma cells are found in your skin and have not spread to lymph nodes or other organs.
The melanoma cells have grown in size, are found in the deeper layers of your skin and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes and other tissues.
The cancer has spread to distant parts of your body like your lung, liver or brain. This is also called advanced melanoma.
Detailed staging of melanoma
To give your doctors more information about the stage of your melanoma, a more detailed staging may be done - adding the letters A, B or C to the numbers.
The melanoma is less than 0.8mm thick. The covering layer of skin over the tumour is not ulcerated (broken).
The melanoma is less than 0.8mm thick and the skin is ulcerated (broken). Or it is between 0.8 and 1mm thick, and may be either ulcerated or not ulcerated.
The melanoma is between 1 and 2mm thick and is ulcerated. Or it is between 2 and 4mm and is not ulcerated.
The melanoma is between 2 and 4mm thick and is ulcerated. Or it is thicker than 4mm and is not ulcerated.
The melanoma is thicker than 4mm and is ulcerated.
The melanoma has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the original tumour. The nodes are not enlarged and the melanoma can only be seen with a microscope. The melanoma can be of any thickness, but it is not ulcerated.
The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated. It has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the original tumour. The nodes can be enlarged or not enlarged.
Or the melanoma can be of any thickness, but it is not ulcerated. The melanoma has spread to skin or lymph vessels around the original tumour. Nearby lymph nodes do not have melanoma cells.
Stage 3C describes one of the following:
- The melanoma has spread to 1 to 3 lymph nodes near the original tumour. The nodes are enlarged. The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated.
- The melanoma has spread to skin or lymph vessels near the original tumour. The lymph nodes do not contain melanoma. The melanoma can be of any thickness and is ulcerated.
- The melanoma has spread to 4 or more nearby lymph nodes, or to nearby lymph nodes that are clumped together. The melanoma can be of any thickness and may or may not be ulcerated.
- The melanoma has spread to skin or lymph vessels around the original tumour and to nearby lymph nodes. The nodes are enlarged because of the melanoma.
The melanoma has spread to other areas of the body, such as the lung, liver or brain.
Knowing the stage of your cancer helps your team to plan the best treatment for you.
Continue reading about melanoma
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