10. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MELANOMA?

A symptom is anything that a patient feels, experiences or complains of. For example, a symptom of a head cold is a headache.  The symptoms of melanoma will vary with the progression of the disease, the sites of metastasize and from patient to patient. 

The symptoms of a primary melanoma can include; tenderness, itching and pain at the site of the lesion. It should be noted that the early stages of melanoma are symptomless and only as they progress are symptoms complained of.  The symptoms of a primary skin melanoma are usually only of minor discomfort; a fact that makes melanomas all the more dangerous.  On the other hand the symptoms of distant metastasize depend on the organs involved and are of a more serious nature. 

Particular cancers have different likelihoods of spreading to different sites of the body.  In the case of melanoma, the four most likely organs for metastasize are; surrounding tissues, the lymph glands, the lungs, the liver and the brain.