OVERVIEW OF STAGE IV MELANOMA

Stage IV melanoma is melanoma that has spread (metastasized) to sites away from the spot where it first started (the primary melanoma). As shown in Graphic 1, these distant sites can include the lung, liver, brain, bone, or even the skin or lymph nodes far away from the primary (original) site of the melanoma. By contrast, Stage III melanoma means the cancer has spread only to the closest lymph nodes or the skin region right around the primary melanoma.

Graphic 1. Visual representation of Stage IV melanoma. Adapted with permission from Terese Winslow.