ABSTRACT

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. In 2009, about 68,720 individuals in the United States were expected to develop melanoma and approximately 8650 were expected to die of it (American Cancer Society, 2009 Facts and Figures). Melanoma is the h and sixth most common cancer among men and women, respectively, and is the most prevalent type of cancer in individuals in their second decade of life. Melanoma incidence rates have been increasing for at least 30 years. In most recent times, rapid increases have occurred a mong young white women (3.8% annual increase since 1995 in t hose aged 15-34 years) and older white men (8.8% annual increase since 2003 in those 65 and older) (American Cancer Society, 2009 Facts a nd Figures). Melanoma is a m alignant tumor t hat originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. e majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin colored, pink, red, purple, blue, or white.