Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that can be deadly if not found and treated early. While it is less common than basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), melanoma is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage.
Melanoma is usually curable when detected and treated early. Once melanoma has spread deeper into the skin or other parts of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat and can be deadly. The estimated five-year survival rate for U.S. patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent. This is why it’s so important to see a dermatologist regularly and do a skin self-exam every month!
Learn more about how to spot melanoma here.