title: Diagnosis and management of stage I/II melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical features and histologic subtypes of cutaneous melanoma; to review the diagnosis, clinical, and pathologic staging of melanoma and the associated prognostic factors; and to review the treatment and management of AJCC stage I and II melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scientific and review articles, textbooks, and clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of melanoma depends on accurate diagnosis, staging, and interpretation of prognostic factors. The treatment of choice for stage I and II melanoma is surgery, ranging from simple excision to lymph node dissection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Familiarity with the clinical features of melanoma assists nurses in the screening and early detection of melanoma. Knowledge of AJCC staging guides education regarding treatment and lifelong surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Lynne A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Allan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Wen-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hwu
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D024802:Nurse's Role; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis