What is melanoma?

➢ Melanoma is less common but much more deadly than basal or squamous cell carcinoma. ➢ The incidence of these lesions has increased dramatically over the past several decades, at least in part as a result of increasing sun exposure and/or higher detection rates resulting from vigorous surveillance. ➢ Mainly caused by UV light–induced DNA damage that leads to the stepwise acquisition of driver mutations. ➢ Hereditary predisposition also plays a role in an estimated 5% to 10% of cases. ➢ Key phases of melanoma development are marked by ➢ radial and vertical growth.