Malignant melanoma of skin
Malignant melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that starts in the cells responsible for skin pigment, known as melanocytes.
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Find General PhysiciansClinical Overview
Malignant melanoma happens when the cells that give your skin its color, called melanocytes, start growing out of control. These cells are usually found in the top layer of your skin. Because they are pigment-producing cells, the tumors they form often look like dark spots or changing moles.
While it is most common on the skin, it can appear anywhere on your body where these pigment cells live, including your eyes or even inside your nose and mouth. It occurs because DNA damage in these cells triggers them to multiply rapidly instead of following the body's normal cycle of growth and replacement.
Common Symptoms
- A mole that is changing in size, shape, or color.
- A mole with jagged, irregular, or poorly defined edges.
- A spot that looks different from all your other moles, often called the ugly duckling sign.
- A sore or lesion that bleeds, crusts over, or refuses to heal.
- Dark streaks or spots underneath or around a fingernail or toenail.