Stages of Melanoma
The following stages are used for melanoma:
Stage 0: In stage 0,
the melanoma cells are found only in the outer layer of skin cells and have not
invaded deeper tissues.
Stage I: Melanoma in stage I is thin:
The tumor is no more than 1
millimeter (1/25 inch) thick. The outer
layer (epidermis) of skin may appear scraped.
(This is called an ulceration).
Or, the tumor is between 1 and 2
millimeters (1/12 inch) thick. There is
no ulceration.
The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph
nodes.
Stage II: The tumor is at least 1
millimeter thick:
The tumor is between 1 and 2
millimeters thick. There is ulceration.
Or, the thickness of the tumor is
more than 2 millimeters. There may be
ulceration.
The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph
nodes.
Stage III: The melanoma cells have
spread to nearby tissues:
The
melanoma cells have spread to one or more nearby lymph nodes.
Or, the
melanoma cells have spread to tissues just outside the original tumor but not
to any lymph nodes.
Stage IV: The melanoma cells have
spread to other organs, to lymph nodes, or to skin areas far away from the
original tumor.
Recurrent: Recurrent disease means
that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may
have come back in the original site or in another part of the body.
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