Surgery

Surgery and ‘Wide Excision’

Surgery is the most common treatment for melanoma. Surgical excision involves surgically removing the melanoma and a certain amount of “normal” tissue surrounding the melanoma. The amount of “normal” tissue removed will depend on the thickness of the melanoma.

If you have had a melanoma recently removed, you may need a subsequent wider surgical excision. This means that your doctor/ specialist needs to remove further tissue to ensure that all the melanoma at the primary site is completely removed.

Depending on the amount of tissue which needs to be taken, excisions can be performed under local anaesthetic (an injection to numb the area) or general anaesthetic (you will be “asleep”). For most people diagnosed with melanoma the wide excision surgery is the only treatment needed.

Sometimes your specialist will suggest further investigations which could lead to further treatments.

How big will my scar be after the melanoma is removed?

It is not possible to give an exact answer to this question as this will differ person to person. As long as the melanoma has not spread, your Surgeon will need to remove at least 1cm of normal looking skin around the melanoma.