Melanoma Staging System

The melanoma staging system classifies skin cancer based on its size, depth, and spread. It uses numbers (Stage I to IV), with higher stages indicating more advanced disease. Stage I is thin and localized; Stage II involves thicker tumors or ulceration; Stage III includes cancer that has spread to nearby lymph nodes; and Stage IV indicates distant spread to other parts of the body. This system helps doctors determine prognosis and choose the best treatment by assessing tumor thickness, ulceration, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis.