Melanomas are often darkly colored and are referred to as pigmented lesions. Approximately 40,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year in the United States. The cause of melanoma is only partially known. An individual's genetic background and amount of sun exposure certainly play a role. The risk associated with melanoma is based on the thickness of the tumor.
Thin melanomas have excellent prognoses.
For these thin melanomas, dermatologists and surgeons will determine the correct surgical therapy to help prevent the tumor from recurring. If the tumor is of intermediate or deep thickness, a new surgical procedure known as sentinel lymph node mapping may be appropriate. This technique determines if melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes, using nuclear medicine and surgical techniques to identify lymph nodes that may contain melanoma. Our surgeons and nuclear medicine specialists will help determine if sentinel lymph node mapping is an appropriate therapy. Sun exposure is a major cause of melanoma.