Skin Cancer (Melanoma)
Mount Sinai doctors are dedicated to providing the type of comprehensive, innovative skin cancer treatments you can rely on for the best possible results for all types of skin cancer, including melanoma. Our surgeons have extensive experience in treating melanoma.
We collaborate with a full complement of specialists to provide you with comprehensive and compassionate care. Your Mount Sinai team is expert in the following specialties:
- Medical oncology—treating cancer non-surgically with medication such as chemotherapy
- Surgical oncology—performing surgical procedures to treat cancer
- Dermatology—diagnosing and treating skin disorders
- Dermatopathology—combining dermatology and pathology to analyze skin tissue for the presence of cancer
- Radiation oncology—treating cancer with radiation
- Podiatry—diagnosing and treatment of foot, ankle and lower extremity disorders
- Social work—assessing and helping solve a variety of personal issues associated with your cancer diagnosis and treatment
- Nutrition—guiding dietary needs to support health and healing
About Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that may present in moles on the skin. Most melanomas start as mutations in skin cells that produce the pigment melanin. If the color, size, texture, and shape of a mole changes, or if it bleeds, have a dermatologist examine it immediately. It is important to know if you have risk factors for melanoma: a family or personal history of melanoma, moles on your skin, sun exposure, or fair skin. Check your skin for changes and have regularly scheduled dermatology exams that can contribute to an early diagnosis and a good outcome of treatment. Melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. Early detection and treatment are essential to the best possible outcome for you.
If you receive a diagnosis of melanoma, consult with an oncologist (a cancer specialist) who will help you determine next steps, including meeting with a surgical oncologist (a cancer specialist treating cancer surgically).
At Mount Sinai, our renowned skin cancer specialists are dedicated to giving you the best possible care for your melanoma. We have one of the few centers nationwide that offers comprehensive care for melanoma and other skin cancers. Our compassionate multidisciplinary team is expert in managing all types of skin cancer and personalizing the best treatment plan for you.
Treatments we offer
Our specialists develop a personal care plan for you that may include a combination of the following advanced treatments:
- Dermatology—Mohs micrographic surgery
- Surgery—Sentinel lymph node biopsies, wide excisions, complete lymph node dissection
- Medical—Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, genetic testing of tumors
Research and clinical trials
Our melanoma and skin cancer researchers are constantly making discoveries in the lab and conducting clinical trials to offer you direct access to new melanoma treatment. With a prominent team of scientists recruited from leading institutions, we are making breakthroughs in research to further science’s understanding of skin cancer and to develop new treatments. Not only do we have one of the most robust clinical trial portfolios for skin cancer in the country, we also have scientists working in the lab to investigate the causes of skin cancer growth with the goal of developing novel strategies to advance our treatments.