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Melanoma: About this Treatment
About Surgery for Melanoma
Outpatient surgery is the most common treatment for melanoma. In most cases, before your first visit, you will have undergone a brief surgery called a skin biopsy for diagnosis of your melanoma.
The skin biopsy aims to remove enough skin tissue to include the entire melanoma on the skin surface, which is the best way for the pathologist/dermatopathologist to examine the tissue, confirm the diagnosis, and analyze key features (thickness of the tumor, ulceration, mitotic rate) to guide staging and further treatment.
Surgery is generally recommended to remove initial melanomas that are limited to the skin and is usually done under local anesthesia for early stage disease. Surgery may also be recommended for melanoma that has spread to nearby lymph nodes, depending on the degree of involvement.
Skin melanomas over a certain depth are commonly staged with biopsy of the nearby (regional) lymph nodes, in a procedure called the sentinel lymph node biopsy. A lymphatic mapping study is done before the sentinel lymph node biopsy to learn exactly where your skin melanoma might spread. If the sentinel lymph node biopsy or an imaging study shows that the melanoma may have spread, you may need additional tests that determine your next steps for treatment.
Learn More About Surgery for Melanoma
Our Approach
About this Treatment
Learn about the conditions treated, risks, techniques, and types of surgery for melanoma.
Patient Care Resources
Learn what to expect as you go through the early steps of your care.