Melanoma is skin cancer starting in the melanocytes, responsible for producing skin pigmentation or melanin. Constant sunlight exposure is among the most common melanoma causes. The disease usually affects the arms, legs, face, and back; a mole or sudden dark spot appearing in the body might be its sign. Melanoma is usually treated through an ABCDE body mole map (A for asymmetry, B for border, C for color, D for diameter, and E for evolving).

While the other two types of skin cancer can be treated with chemotherapy and strong drugs, it is very rare that melanoma treatments are successful. There are many types of melanoma treatments; the treatments depend on various factors that are directly related to the patient. For effective melanoma treatments, early diagnosis is very important. Diagnosis is done thoroughly by skin biopsy that might include:

• Shave biopsy where the upper layer of the skin is shaved off to be tested under a microscope
• Punch biopsy where several layers of the skin are removed
• Excisional biopsy where the entire tumor is removed and tested thoroughly

Melanoma treatments have improved over the years, and now there are 11 types of treatments that can be done. Some of them, according to the stages of the disease are as follows:

• Stage 0 : Surgery is the best way to get rid of the cells as this is the initial stage of melanoma.
• Stage 1: Surgery is preferred to remove the tumor and some cells around it. Lymph node mapping is done, and then clinical trials are done.
• Stage 2:  Surgery of tumor is done, followed by immunotherapy with interferon, and finally clinical trials.
• Stage 3:   When the tumor cannot be removed, chemotherapy is done followed palliative therapy.