Melanoma: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Medically reviewed by Achuta Uppu, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor treats Melanoma?
A dermatologist, a doctor who treats skin conditions, usually finds and diagnoses melanoma. A surgeon removes the cancer, and an oncologist, a doctor who treats cancer, may add other treatments. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It forms in melanocytes. These cells make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Melanoma is more likely to spread to other parts of the body than other types of skin cancer.
Melanoma causes more deaths than other skin cancers. It often spreads to other parts of the body, such as the brain and liver.
Symptoms
Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Signs can also be caused by other conditions, so a doctor needs to look. Warning signs include a mole that:
- Changes in size, shape, or color.
- Has irregular edges or borders.
- Has more than one color.
- Is asymmetrical, meaning the two halves look different.
- Itches, oozes, bleeds, or forms an open sore.
The letters ABCDE can help you remember what to watch for: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolving.
Causes and who gets it
Too much UV light from the sun or tanning beds causes most skin cancers. Risk factors for melanoma include:
- Fair skin that freckles and burns easily, light-colored eyes, or red or blond hair.
- A history of many blistering sunburns, especially as a child or teenager.
- Having several large moles or many small moles.
- A family history of unusual moles, or a family or personal history of melanoma.
- A weakened immune system.
Being White or having a fair complexion raises the risk, but anyone can have melanoma, including people with dark skin.
How doctors diagnose it
Melanoma is usually diagnosed with tests that examine the skin. A doctor or nurse checks your skin for moles, birthmarks, or other colored areas that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture. A biopsy removes a small piece of tissue so it can be viewed under a microscope for signs of cancer. It can be hard to tell a colored mole from an early melanoma. You may want a second pathologist, a doctor who studies tissue, to check the sample.
Staging is how doctors find out whether cancer has spread within the skin or to other body parts. Staging may include a sentinel lymph node biopsy. It removes the first lymph node the cancer would likely spread to. Doctors may also use scans such as CT, PET, MRI, or ultrasound. The stage depends on tumor thickness, spread to lymph nodes or other body parts, and other factors.
Treatment
Surgery to remove the tumor is the main treatment for melanoma that has not spread. If the cancer has spread or cannot be removed, doctors often use immunotherapy or targeted therapy. A wide local excision removes the melanoma and some of the normal tissue around it. Other treatments include:
- Immunotherapy, which helps a person's immune system fight cancer.
- Targeted therapy, which uses drugs to identify and attack specific cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy x-rays or other radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
- Chemotherapy, which uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells.
The best treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. You will have follow-up tests or check-ups, because melanoma can come back after treatment.
When to see a doctor
Check with your doctor if a mole changes in size, shape, or color. Also check if it has irregular edges or more than one color. Also check with your doctor if a mole itches, oozes, or bleeds. Also check about a new mole that looks abnormal, or any change in how a mole or colored area of skin looks. Melanoma can spread to organs like the brain and liver, so have any of these changes checked by a doctor.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you faint or cannot breathe well. Also call if you cough up blood or have bleeding that will not stop, or if you have sudden weakness, trouble speaking, or confusion.
How a direct primary care or concierge doctor fits in
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. Either can look over a mole that worries you, refer you to a dermatologist, and help coordinate care and follow-up.
Common questions
Is melanoma the most serious skin cancer?
Yes, MedlinePlus calls melanoma the most serious type of skin cancer. It causes more deaths than other types of skin cancer because it often spreads to other parts of the body.
Can people with dark skin get melanoma?
Yes, anyone can have melanoma, including people with dark skin.
Does melanoma always start in a mole?
No, it can change an existing mole or appear as a new mole.
How is melanoma treated?
Surgery is the first treatment for melanoma that has not spread. Melanoma that has spread is often treated with immunotherapy or targeted therapy. Radiation and chemotherapy may also be used.
Sources
- MedlinePlus - Melanoma
- National Cancer Institute - Melanoma Treatment (PDQ) - Patient Version
- CDC - Skin Cancer Basics
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
