Learn more about metastatic melanoma. To add to the complexity of staging, the cancer also may have a clinical stage and a pathologic stage. Clinical staging takes place before surgery , based on blood tests, physical exams or imaging tests such as X-rays , a computed tomography CT scan , magnetic resonance imaging MRI or positron emission tomography PET scans. Often, some tissue from the surgery will be examined afterward to provide more clues.
This process is known as pathologic staging, or surgical staging. A relapse of melanoma within 2 cm of the original tumor site is considered a local recurrence. Lymph node recurrence and distant recurrence are terms used to describe cancer that has the same DNA characteristics as the original tumor but develops elsewhere in the body, such as the lymph nodes.
Lymph node recurrence develops in the lymph node s in the area nearest the original melanoma tumor. Once they enter the circulatory system, melanoma cancer cells may travel to distant sites.
They may develop in any tissue, but they typically grow in the lungs, liver or brain. Metastases may also occur in the bone, heart, pancreas, kidneys or thyroid, among other locations. Make a difference in the fight against cancer by donating to cancer research. Call us anytime. Learn about amelanotic melanoma, including prognosis and tips for reducing risk.
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Melanoma is described by stages, which give an idea of how far the cancer has spread. Find out what the stages mean for prognosis and survival rates. Following your doctor's prescribed treatment plan is an important part of managing stage 4 melanoma.
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Mental Health. Monitoring Melanoma: Staging Explained. The earliest stage melanomas are stage 0 melanoma in situ , and then range from stages I 1 through IV 4. Some stages are split further, using capital letters A, B, etc. As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread.
A higher number, such as stage IV, means cancer has spread more. And within a stage, an earlier letter means a lower stage. The extent of the main primary tumor T : How deep has the cancer grown into the skin?
Is the cancer ulcerated? The spread to nearby lymph nodes N : Has the cancer spread to nearby lymph nodes? The spread metastasis to distant sites M : Has the cancer spread to distant lymph nodes or distant organs? Melanoma can spread almost anywhere in the body, but the most common sites of spread are the lungs, liver, brain, bones, and the skin or lymph nodes in other parts of the body.
Numbers or letters after T, N, and M provide more details about each of these factors. Surgery and radiation may also be used to relieve symptoms. How is it diagnosed? Understanding Melanoma Treatment options Share:. The melanoma is confined to the cells in the top layer of the skin epidermis and has not invaded the deeper layers dermis. Stage I melanoma can be defined in two ways: 2mm without ulceration, metastases or lymph node involvement; or up to 1mm with ulceration, but without metastases or lymph node involvement.
Stage II melanoma is defined by thickness and ulceration.
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