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Melanoma is a type of cancer that begins in the skin. It is completely curable when detected early, but can be fatal if allowed to progress and spread.
Cancer is a condition where one type of cell grows without limit in a disorganized fashion, disrupting and replacing normal tissues and their functions, much like weeds overgrowing a garden. Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment producing cells in the skin, known as melanocytes. Normal melanocytes reside in the outer layer of the skin and produce the brown pigment melanin, which is responsible for the color of our skin. Melanoma is when melanocytes become cancerous, grow, and invade other tissues.
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* Information provided by The American Academy of Dermatology.
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