Based on this information, doctors give the cancer an overall stage. There are 5 stages of melanoma, with some of the stages split into sub-groups:
Learn about stage 0 melanoma
What is stage 0 melanoma? In stage 0, cancer is in the thin outer layer of the skin ( epidermis ). It has not spread to the next layer of skin ( dermis ) or to other parts of the body. The good news is: Stage 0 melanoma is highly curable, and has a very low chance of spreading or coming back. How is stage 0 melanoma treated? Doctors treat stage 0 melanoma with surgery to remove the cancer. Usually this is a procedure called a wide local excision . This is when a larger oval-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the skin to remove any cancer cells left after the biopsy. Stage 0 melanoma is highly curable – as long as the doctors are sure they removed enough surrounding skin, this is all the treatment you will typically need.
Stage
What it means
Stage 0
Called “ in-situ .” Cancerous cells are present, but they are in the first layer of skin, called the epidermis, and have not spread to other parts of the body.
Stage 1: 1A and 1B Stage 2: 2A, 2B, and 2C Cancer cells are now deep enough to reach the second layer of skin, called the dermis, but have not spread to other parts of the body. In stage 2, the depth of the tumor is deeper and/or there is some ulceration in the tumor. Stage 3: 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D The cancer has spread to local (nearby) lymph nodes . Stage 4 The cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes or other parts of the body. This is called metastasis .
What is the follow-up care for stage 0 melanoma? With Stage 0 melanoma, your outlook is usually very good! It is unlikely that the cancer will return or spread to other parts of your body.
The higher the number and the letter, the larger the tumor and the more it has spread to nearby tissue. So, stage 1 and stage A cancers have spread less than stages 2-4 or B-D cancers. Stages use roman numerals like this:
After treatment, doctors recommend that you: • Do monthly self skin checks • Follow your dermatologist’s or surgeon’s recommendation for how often you should get a full body skin exam - usually this will be once a year • Use sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher and broad spectrum – apply it 15 minutes before going outside, and reapply every 2 hours and after sweating or swimming • Wear clothes to protect your skin – wear long sleeved shirts, pants, wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses • Seek shade when the sun is strongest , between 10am and 4pm
• Stage 1 = Stage I • Stage 2 = Stage II • Stage 3 = Stage III • Stage 4 = Stage IV
melanoma
epidermis
dermis
6 | Melanoma Patient Guide Stages 0-1
melanoma.org | 7
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