Melanoma

Skin cancers are formed when new cells grow when they should not and old or damaged cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth (tumor).

The most common forms of skin cancers are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Both are usually found on areas of the skin that have been in the sun, although squamous cell carcinoma may begin in other parts of the body.

Melanoma is the most life-threatening type of skin cancer and grows in the skin cells called melanocytes, which are found in the lower part of the outer layer of the skin. Melanocytes make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color and causes the skin to tan.

Cutaneous melanoma is the most common type of melanoma and begins in the skin where most of the melanocytes in the body are found. Both ocular (intraocular) melanoma, which is found in the eye, and mucosal melanoma, which is found in mucosal tissue linings, are very rare.

In advanced melanoma, melanoma cells can spread (metastasize) to other organs, to lymph nodes, or to skin areas far away from the original tumor.

More than 76,250* people in the United States will be newly diagnosed with melanoma in 2012.

Treatment options for melanoma vary depending on the type of melanoma, stage of the disease, previous treatment, and other medical conditions. Talk with your doctor about what treatment options may be available for you.

*American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2012. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2012

Melanoma Clinical Trials

The NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR) conducts clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. CCR is currently conducting the following trials for patients with melanoma. Click on the trials below for additional details, including a summary of key eligibility criteria, study outline, and information on how to contact the principal investigators and their staff directly. For information on a particular trial or to discuss a screening visit, contact a member of the research team listed on the trial’s summary.

If you need further assistance, call our toll-free number at 1-888-NCI-1937 (1-888-624-1937) to be connected to a referral coordinator appropriate for your diagnosis.