Melanoma

A melanoma, frequently called a malignant melanoma, is an aggressively malignant cancer that develops in epithelial cells capable of producing melanin. It appears most often on the skin, but, also, in the eye, or, rarely, in the mucous membranes of the genitalia, anus, oral cavity, or other sites.

It occurs mostly in adults and may originate de novo or from a pigmented nevus or malignant lentigo. Melanomas frequently metastasize widely, and the regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and brain are likely to be involved. The incidence of malignant skin melanomas is rising rapidly in all parts of the world.