The reason melanoma is so dangerous is that once it grows to a certain thickness, it metastasizes or spreads throughout the body. After melanoma has spread to the internal organs there is little that can be done and death follows shortly after. This type of cancer tends to occur in men and women in the prime of their lives.
Sunlight is thought to be the most important cause of melanoma.
There has been an alarming increase in the number of new cases of melanoma each year. Melanoma is increasing in quantity more than any other cancer. This may be a result of the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone is that part of the atmosphere that blocks ultraviolet light. It is estimated that one person in 100 in the United States will develop melanoma during their lifetime.