What are the stages of melanoma skin cancer?

What are the stages of melanoma skin cancer?

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 is staged in 5 different stages. There is stage 0, where the abnormal cells are located entirely within the epidermis. There are stages 1 and 2. Stage 1 is how deep the melanoma cells have gone and invaded into the dermis. Stage 2 is where they've invaded deeper and therefore are more aggressive. Stage 3 is where the cells are located in the lymph nodes or in certain sections of the skin. Stage 4 is where those cells have metastasised or travelled to other organs of the body including distant site of the skin, the lung, the brain, and other internal organs.