The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2010, more than 68,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States, and 8,700 people will die from the disease. Melanoma, or malignant melanoma, is a form of skin cancer that originates in the melanocytes, which are the skin cells that produce pigment. Treatment for melanoma typically depends on the stage and extent of the cancer and the general health of the patient.
Surgery
Melanomas that have not invaded deeper layers of skin can usually be treated with surgery, according to the American Cancer Society. If the cancer is very thin, a simple excision can be performed; this involves removing the lesion with a surrounding area of healthy skin to ensure the entire cancer is removed. The size of the excision depends of the size of the lesion.
During an excision, a sentinel node biopsy may be done. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node that cancer cells from the original lesion travels to. If no cancer is found in this lymph node, the American Cancer Society says no lymph node dissection is necessary. If it is cancerous, removal of lymph nodes in that area will be done to examine them for cancer.
In some cases, if the cancer is on a finger or toe, part or all of that digit may be amputated.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses oral or intravenous drugs to kill cancer cells and slow down cancer growth. This form of treatment is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream and is able to travel throughout the body, killing cancer cells that may have spread to distant places. The American Cancer Society lists several chemotherapy medications used in treating melanoma, including dacarbazine, which is typically used in combination with carmustine, cisplatin and tamoxifen; temozolomide; and paclitaxel, which may or may not be used with cisplatin or carboplatin.
Radiation Therapy
The National Cancer Institute describes radiation therapy as a type of treatment that uses high-energy rays such as x-rays to slow down cancer growth and kill cancer cells. To treat melanoma, oncologists use external beam radiation, which involves aiming the rays toward the cancerous area from a machine outside the body. Radiation is rarely used as an initial treatment, says the American Cancer Society; it is more commonly used after surgery or for symptom relief in metastatic melanoma.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, also called biologic therapy, is another form of treatment for melanoma. According to MD Anderson Cancer Center, there are various types of immunotherapy medications, but the one that is most commonly used is interferon-alpha. This drug works by helping the body's immune response kill skin cancer tissue and cells. It is given intravenously and can cause side effects similar to the flu. Interferon-alpha may also be used to help prevent recurrence if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes. The American Cancer Society also mentions the biologic drug interleukin-2, or IL-2, which works in a similar way to interferon-alpha.
