If you have had melanoma, you may be at increased risk for developing a second melanoma in the future. Therefore, early detection of melanoma through skin self-examination and medical examination continues to be of the utmost importance.

The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of an existing mole or the appearance of a new mole. Since the vast majority of primary melanomas are visible on the skin, you have a good chance of detecting the disease in its early stages. (See Early Detection for more information.)

When melanoma is found and treated early, the chances for long-term, disease-free survival are excellent. With treatment, patients with melanoma in situ have a 5- and 10-year overall survival rate of 100%. Five-year survival rates for patients with early-stage (Stage I) melanoma exceed 90 to 95%. As melanoma progresses, survival rates drop significantly. In later-stage disease, 5-year survival rates drop to less than 50%.¹ The good news is that with early detection, survival rates have improved steadily in recent years, and 85% of diagnosed patients enjoy long-term survival after simple tumor surgery.²

See also If Melanoma Recurs.