Is melanoma in situ really cancer?

Melanoma in situ is the very earliest stage of a skin cancer called melanoma. ‘In situ’ is Latin for ‘in space’. It means that the cancer cells have not had the opportunity to spread to anywhere else in the body. About 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year.

Is melanoma in situ serious?

In situ melanomas don’t spread to other parts of the body or cause death, but if the tumor has an opportunity to grow even one millimeter deep into the skin, it can lead to more involved treatment and greater danger. If left untreated, it can metastasize and even become life-threatening.

What is the difference between melanoma and melanoma in situ?

In Stage 0 melanoma, there is no evidence the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to distant sites (metastasis). Stage 0 is local melanoma, meaning it has not spread beyond the primary tumor. Another term for Stage 0 melanoma is in situ, which means “in place” in Latin.

How long does melanoma in situ last?

Prognosis: Stage 0 melanoma, or melanoma in situ, is highly curable. There is very little risk for recurrence or metastasis. The 5-year survival rate as of 2018 for local melanoma, including Stage 0, is 98.4%.

Is melanoma in situ actually cancer?

Melanoma in situ is cancer in the very early stages, when it affects only the top layer of the skin. At this point, the cancer has not spread deeper into the body. Cancer diagnosed at this early stage also means that it is less likely to recur or spread to other parts of the body than melanomas that are diagnosed at a later stage.

What is melanoma and how is it treated?

Today, melanoma is treated by surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Melanoma is more common in areas that are mostly Caucasian .

How long does melanoma stay in situ?

Ans. It is very hard to answer that specifically – a melanoma may stay in situ for only a few months or it may stay so for many years.

What are the chances of recurrence of melanoma in situ?

Prompt identification and treatment are therefore crucial to happy outcomes. Further primary i.e. not secondary developments, melanomas in situ have a recurrence rate of 0.5% per annum for the first five years post-treatment, decreasing thereafter. May 17 2019