Is melanoma skin cancer worse than nonmelanoma?

Is melanoma skin cancer worse than nonmelanoma?

Harry Saperstein, MD, FAAD (Dermatologist, Clinical Assoc. Professor, Medicine, Private Practice and UCLA) gives expert video advice on: Why is the sun harmful to my skin? and more...

Malignant melanoma skin cancer is by far the most dangerous of all the skin cancers that we see, commonly anyway. It unfortunately results in about 15,000 deaths every year in the United States, which is far greater than all the other skin cancers combined. It has the ability, after its growth pattern, to go into the lymphatics and the blood system, and then transfer those cells to other parts of the body. The more common skin cancers virtually never, or very rarely, do so. Therefore, malignant melanoma is by far the most serious skin cancer that we see.