Melanoma's incidence is increasing. Melanoma peaks in ages 40-70. Risk factors are fair skin, chronic sun exposure especially during child hood. It is most often associated with excessive exposure to sunlight.

Grossly, they are asymmetric, irregular in shape. tend to be varied in color, red, orange, brown. Large in diameter and tend to have a history, becoming larger and elevated over time. They could be seen in any sun exposed area of the body.

Nodular form has the worst prognosis because it invades the underlying vasculature. The most important prognostic factor is the depth of lesion. The treatment is wide surgical excision. In some case is spontaneously regressed.

The most important clinical variants include:

1. Lentigo malingna melanoma. Occurs on sun-exposed skin. The radial growth phase predominates initially, most often develops from preexisting lentigo maligna (Hutchinson freckle).

2. Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common of the variants. The lesion is irregularly bordered with variegated pigmentation, most frequent locations are the trunk and extremities. Radial growth phase predominates.

3. Nodular melanoma begins with the vertical growth phase. It has the poorest prognosis of the clinical variants.

4. Acral-lentiginous melanoma most often appears on the hand and feet of dark skin individuals.