How common is mucosal melanoma?

Honor Society of Nursing (STTI)

Mucosal melanoma is a relatively rare form of melanoma. About 53,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with melanoma each year, but of all melanomas, only about 2% to 3% of the cases are mucosal melanoma. The most common types of mucosal melanoma are found in the nose, mouth, and nasal or oral cavities.

Continue Learning about Melanoma

Jenny C. Hu, MD

About one American dies of melanoma almost every hour, and one in 69 people will be diagnosed with t...

Honor Society of Nursing (STTI)

Melanoma can be very serious if it's not detected and treated in its early stages. When detected ear...

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Melanoma

The most serious type of skin cancer, melanoma affects the cells that give our skin its color. Although it can spread easily, it is curable when treated early. This cancer forms when the cells that make melanin grow abnormally or do not die when they should. These cells, called melanocytes, are found in our skin’s outer layer. Melanoma typically begins in a mole or birthmark but can form in other tissues with pigmentation, such as your eye. When melanoma develops in the eye, it is called Intraocular Melanoma. Protect yourself by avoiding overexposure from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Stay vigilant of any changes in your skin, especially if you have the skin disease Xeroderma pigmentosum, which makes you sensitive to light. You are also more likely to develop melanoma if someone in your family has been previously diagnosed with this specific type of cancer.

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