University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center Physicians Deliver Precise Melanoma Diagnoses

University Hospitals physicians work as a team to make a prompt diagnosis so that treatment can begin as soon as possible. A UH Seidman Cancer Center surgical oncologist or a dermatologist performs a biopsy by first trying to remove all of the suspicious-looking growth. If the growth is too large to remove entirely, he or she will remove a sample of the tissue. Once the physician examines the tissue, he or she assigns a stage based on size, thickness and whether or not it has spread from its original location to lymph nodes or other organs.

Stages of Melanoma

The following stages are used to classify melanoma:

Stage 0: In stage 0, the melanoma cells are only found in the outer layer (epidermis) of skin and have not invaded deeper tissues.

Stage I:

  • The tumor is no more than 1 mm (1/25 in.) thick. The outer layer of the skin may or may not have an ulceration.
  • Or, the tumor is between 1 and 2 mm (1/12 in.) thick. There is no ulceration.
  • The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Stage II:

  • The tumor is at least 1 mm thick.
  • The tumor is between 1 and 2 mm thick. There is an ulceration.
  • Or, the thickness of the tumor is more than 2 mm. There may be an 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 distant organs such as the lungs, brain, bone and liver.