title: Management of primary cutaneous and metastatic melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the diagnosis, staging, and treatments (both standard and novel) for advanced melanoma and discuss the nursing role in the care of patients with melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published research and education articles, on-line journals, recent texts, and references from pertinent articles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most melanomas are diagnosed at early localized stages when surgery alone can be curative. For patients diagnosed with metastatic disease, treatment options have been limited and generally considered ineffective. Recent developments in tumor genetics and a greater understanding of the role of the immune system in cancer have translated to better treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses play a key role in ensuring that patients with melanoma understand their diagnosis, treatment recommendations (including supportive care, palliative chemotherapy, immunotherapies), and participation in clinical trials.
authors: Center for Melanoma, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. kmrubin@partners.org
authors: Krista M
authors: KM
authors: Rubin
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: AJCC; clinical staging; melanoma; metastatic; pathologic staging; treatment