Melanoma

Melanoma is a skin cancer of the melanocytes, the cells that produce skin color and give moles their dark color. Under normal conditions, moles are benign skin tumors. Sometimes, however, a mole can develop into melanoma. A new mole may also be an early melanoma.

Melanoma skin cancers are less common than carcinoma skin cancers . But melanomas are more dangerous because they are far more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

Cancer occurs when cells in the body (in this case skin cells) divide without control or order. Normally, cells divide in a regulated manner. If cells keep dividing uncontrollably when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms, called a growth or tumor. The term cancer refers to malignant tumors , which can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor is unable to invade or spread.