Dx w malignant melanoma today..surgery scheduled. symptoms it has spread? body check was negative. small spot on face.

Depends on depth: Malignant melanoma is categorized by its depth in the skin. If it is superficial (melanoma in situ) it is less likely to spread, but not impossible. At a certain depth, the dermatologist usually recommends a chest xray and sometimes a lymph node biopsy to determine spread. Frequent return visits for skin checks are also recommended. Be glad your melanoma was recognized and will be removed.

Depth: The risk of melanoma spreading to other parts of your body depends on the thickness of your primary melanoma. Usually I recommend that a lymph node biopsy be performed for melanomas that are thicker than 0.76mm or those with other worrisome features.