MALIGNANT MELANOMA

Course overview

A MELANOMA IS A TUMOR PRODUCED BY THE MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION OF MELANOCYTES. MELANOCYTES ARE DERIVED FROM THE NEURAL CREST; CONSEQUENTLY, MELANOMAS, ALTHOUGH THEY USUALLY OCCUR ON THE SKIN, CAN ARISE IN OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE NEURAL CREST CELLS MIGRATE, SUCH AS THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND BRAIN. THE FIVE-YEAR RELATIVE SURVIVAL RATE FOR PATIENTS WITH STAGE 0 MELANOMA IS 97%, COMPARED WITH ABOUT 10% FOR THOSE WITH STAGE IV DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF MELANOMA AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, TREATING, AND EDUCATION REQUIRED OF PATIENTS TO DECREASE THE INCIDENCE OF THIS CONDITION.