Stage 1 Melanoma

Stage1 melanoma is one of the earliest stages of this kind of skin cancer. It's not a very dangerous type of cancer, but it can become deadly if allowed to spread.

The good news is that melanoma survival rates for this stage of cancer are very high. Treatment is also quite easy and very few people with Stage 1 Melanoma have their cancer has come back. But that doesn't mean we can ignore it. This kind of cancer could become much more serious if it has time to grow.

Learning about it and knowing how it's treated can help make this type of cancer much less scary. After all, the more we know about cancer, the easier it is to make good decisions about it.

Take the time to find out everything you need to know about this kind of cancer and how it's treated. Here's some of the information you're going to need.

Malignant Melanoma Symptoms for stage 1

Melanoma in this stage are called localized tumors. This means that they're just in one place. They haven't spread to the lymph nodes near the tumor. The cancer also hasn't been found in other areas of the body.

This type of tumor is more serious than stage zero, or melanoma in situ. But it is still easy to treat and considered to be a pretty low risk kind of skin cancer. Very few people with stage 1 melanoma get it again or have serious symptoms.

There are two major factors that doctors use to tell if a skin cancer is in stage 1. The first one is how thick the tumor is. This is measured in millimeters that are abbreviated as "mm". Even the most serious stage 1 tumors are never more than two mm thick. That's about the same thickness as the edge of a nickel. Thicker tumors grow deeper into the skin and are at a later stage.

The other factor that doctors look for is called ulceration. This is when the top layer of skin over the tumor is damaged. This might look like a sore that won't heal.

It might also not be something that we can see with our eyes. Some cases of ulceration have to be found with a microscope. This is why it's so important to have a doctor check out your tumor in detail. She has the experience to tell what stage the tumor is in.

Treatment for Melanoma in Stage 1

The first thing that will happen if you have a stage 1 tumor is a biopsy of the lymph mode closest to the tumor. This is mostly used for cancers that are thicker than 1 mm (about as thick as a penny) or cancers that have ulceration.

This will help the doctors decide if the cancer has spread to a nearby lymph node. This kind of test is best done before surgery. After the biopsy, doctors will remove the tumor, plus some of the skin around it. This is so that we know the entire tumor has been removed.

The good news is that most stage 1 tumors are still pretty small, and the surgery can be minor.

After Treatment

After you get treatment for your cancer, you still need to take care. For most people who have had Stage 1 Skin Cancer this means getting a physical every six months. This lasts for two years after the surgery.

You should also get an exam once a year during years three to five. Some people will need to get their exams more often. It all depends on how high your risk for getting another cancer will be. Your doctor can help you decide when to schedule appointments.

Stage 1 cancer is low risk with the right treatment. Most people don't get another cancer nearby and most people don't have any dangerous malignant melanoma symptoms.

Melanoma survival rates for people with stage 1 cancer are very high. Ninety to ninety-five percent of people are still healthy and have no cancer five years later. That's why early treatment is such a good idea.

If you're worried about skin cancer, don't wait around. Find out if you have it sooner rather than later. Then you can get the kind of treatment you need to stay healthy and live a lot longer.

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