Stage 0 (Melanoma in Situ)
Stage I Melanoma
Stage II Melanoma
Stage III Melanoma
Stage IV Melanoma

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of stage 0 is usually surgery to remove the area of abnormal cells and a small amount of normal tissue around it.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage 0 melanoma.

Treatment of stage I melanoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it.
• A clinical trial of surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it, with or without lymph node mapping and selective lymphadenectomy.
• A clinical trial of new techniques to detect cancer cells in the lymph nodes.
• A clinical trial of lymphadenectomy with or without adjuvant therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I melanoma.

Treatment of stage II melanoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it, followed by removal of nearby lymph node s.
• Lymph node mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy, followed by surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it. If cancer is found in the sentinel lymph node, a second surgical procedure can be performed to remove additional nearby lymph nodes.
• Surgery followed by high- dose biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy, or immunotherapy.
• A clinical trial of new techniques to detect cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage II melanoma.

Treatment of stage III melanoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it.
• Surgery to remove the tumor with skin grafting to cover the wound caused by surgery.
• Surgery followed by biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial comparing surgery alone to surgery with biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemoimmunotherapy or biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion using chemotherapy and biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of biologic therapy and radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III melanoma.

Treatment of stage IV melanoma may include the following:

• Surgery or radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• Chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of new chemotherapy and/or biologic therapy, or vaccine therapy.
• A clinical trial of radiation therapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• A clinical trial of surgery to remove all known cancer.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage IV melanoma.

Back to Top

< Previous Section  |  Next Section >