High-Risk Factors for Melanoma Metastasis

Survival from melanoma varies greatly depending on the characteristics of the subject and the tumor. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the factors associated with melanoma metastasis and poor survival. The risk factors are presented according to the staging system developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). There are four distinct stages of cutaneous melanoma, with different risk factors for each stage, although the factors for stages I and II are often combined.