There are several types of treatments against melanoma, and their choice depends on factors such as:

• the stage of cancer;
• the risk of relapse;
• cancer location;
• the way the treatments will affect the appearance of the body;
• personal preferences of the patient.

Surgery

Surgery is the main treatment for most skin cancers. Depending on the stage and the risk of recurrence of cancer, one or more types of surgery may be recommended. Local wide excision – eliminates cancer along with some of the healthy tissues around it. Biopsy of sentinel lymph nodes involves the identification and excision of the lymph node in a group of lymph nodes. Full dissection of the lymph node eliminates a group of lymph nodes in the body for locoregional or locally recurrent skin cancer that has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Reconstructive surgery repairs the skin and the nearby area after removal of the tumor. Metastatic surgery can be done to remove metastatic skin cancer that has spread to an area or a few areas on or even under the skin, or in the lungs, liver, brain, or small intestine.

Immunotherapy

It uses specific drugs to help the immune system fight cancer cells. It is sometimes used after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer or to reduce and control skin cancer growth.

Radiotherapy

It is sometimes used after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence or as palliative treatment to control the symptoms of advanced melanoma.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses anticancer (cytotoxic) drugs to kill cancer cells. They can be administered to reach the whole body (systemic chemotherapy) or just in a certain area (regional chemotherapy).

Target therapy

They use drugs that identify specific molecules (such as proteins) on or inside cancer cells to stop the growth and spread of cancer and to limit the effect on normal cells.