Is melanoma in situ the most curable stage?

It was melanoma in situ: The tumor had not invaded beyond the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. The earliest form of melanoma (considered stage 0), it is the easiest to treat and almost always curable. If Jim had waited any longer before seeing the doctor, it could have been much worse. read more

It was melanoma in situ: The tumor had not invaded beyond the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. The earliest form of melanoma (considered stage 0), it is the easiest to treat and almost always curable. read more

Melanoma is described by stages. A particular stage of the disease gives an idea how far the cancer has spread. Early on, a physical exam is usually enough to identify stage 1 melanoma, for example. But more sophisticated technology, such as PET scans and sentinel lymph node biopsies, are necessary to measure the cancer’s progression. read more

Patients with melanoma in situ (stage 0) have melanoma cells only in the outer layer of skin (epidermis). There is no invasion of the deeper layer (dermis) and therefore essentially no potential for spread. Melanoma in situ is curable by adequate removal with surgery. The following is a general overview of the treatment of melanoma in situ. read more