Treatment for advanced melanoma
Advanced melanoma skin cancer means it has spread from where it started to another part of the body. Symptoms can depend on where the cancer has spread to. But other symptoms are more general.
Read more about the symptoms of advanced melanoma
Treatments can sometimes help to shrink the melanoma. This includes:
This may reduce symptoms and help you feel better. Other treatments can treat specific symptoms.
Find out more about the treatments for melanoma skin cancer
You might have pain in the area of the cancer but not everyone does. Painkillers can usually control pain well.
There are many different painkillers and ways of taking them. Your doctor and nurse can help you to be pain free most of the time.
You and your friends or relatives can do things to help reduce the pain. Complementary therapies such as relaxation and massage may help.
Tiredness (fatigue) is a common symptom of advanced cancer. You may feel that you lack energy, and this can be overwhelming.
Let your doctor or nurse know if you’re very tired, as they can prescribe medicines or other treatments to help. For example, a blood transfusion can give you more energy if you’re tired due to .
It’s important to rest a few times throughout the day. Resting regularly can help you feel less tired and more able to cope. You don't have to sleep during these times. Just sitting or lying down will help.
Exercising can be hard when you feel very tired. But research shows that daily light to moderate exercise can give you more energy. You can try a short walk if you can manage it. Gentle exercises in bed or standing up can help if you can’t move around easily.
Your hospital physiotherapist might be able to help you plan an exercise programme that suits your needs.
You might feel more tired if you have trouble sleeping at night. Some medicines like can also cause difficulty sleeping. It can help to change a few things about when and where you sleep.
Find out how cancer fatigue can be managed and treated
You might not feel like eating and may lose weight. There can be different reasons for this. But it is important to drink plenty and try to eat when you can.
Talk to your healthcare team if you have lost your appetite. They might be able to help. For example, they can give you medicine to help stop you feeling sick.
Eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day can be easier to manage.
Ask your doctor or dietitian to recommend high calorie drinks to boost your calorie intake.
Eat whatever you feel like eating rather than what you think you should eat.
Drink plenty even if you can't eat.
Don't fill your stomach with a large amount of liquid before eating.
Try to eat high calorie foods to keep your weight up.
Read more tips for coping with appetite loss
Cancer can cause bowel problems such as diarrhoea or constipation. They can also be caused by cancer treatments or other medicines. For example, painkillers commonly cause constipation.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have bowel problems. They can help by giving you medicine. And they can refer you to a dietitian for advice on what to eat or drink.
Anti sickness medicines can usually help to control this. There are different types of anti sickness medicine and they work in different ways.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you still feel sick so they can find a medicine that’s right for you. Tell them what helps and what makes the sickness worse.
Sickness is sometimes caused by fluid building up in the stomach. Putting a tube into the stomach to drain this fluid can ease the sickness and help you feel better.
Eat several small meals and snacks each day if possible.
Don't drink much just before eating.
Relaxation techniques help some people control their sickness.
Ginger can help - try it as crystallised stem ginger, ginger tea or ginger ale.
Peppermint can help - use a few drops of peppermint oil on a diffuser. You can also try peppermint tea or sucking on mint.
Try sipping fizzy drinks.
Drink high calorie drinks if you can't eat.
Find out more about controlling sickness
You might feel breathless if the cancer has spread to your lungs or if you have anaemia. You can learn breathing techniques that can help. You might need a to give you red blood cells if you have anaemia.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you feel breathless. They can prescribe medicines to make your breathing easier.
Find out about treating breathlessness
You might have a swollen tummy (abdomen) if your cancer has spread to the liver. The swelling is due to a build up of fluid called ascites. It can make your clothes feel tighter. Your tummy might feel bloated. You might also find it difficult to sit comfortably or to move around. Ascites can make you feel breathless, especially when lying flat.
Your doctor can drain off the fluid by putting a small, flexible tube into the abdomen. This helps you to feel more comfortable.
You might have other symptoms depending on where the melanoma has spread to.
Your doctor or specialist nurse can:
give you medicines
help you to get the equipment that you need
suggest other ways of controlling your symptoms
refer you to a symptom control team (a palliative care team)
There are symptom control teams in most cancer units. They can help you to stay as well as possible for as long as possible. They are also in hospices and many general hospitals.
Most symptom control teams have home care services so they can visit you at home.
Last reviewed: 09 Jan 2025
Next review due: 09 Jan 2028
Advanced melanoma skin cancer means the cancer has spread to another part of the body such as the liver, lungs or bone. Or it has come back after treatment.
There are general symptoms you may get. But other symptoms can depend on where the cancer has spread to. And some people may not get any symptoms at all.
Treatments include targeted cancer drugs, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. They aim to control the cancer, any symptoms you have and improve your quality of life.
Get support to cope with emotional, practical and physical issues when you have advanced melanoma skin cancer.
Organisations, support groups and other resources are available to help you cope with melanoma skin cancer and its treatment.
Melanoma develops in cells called melanocytes. You have these in your skin and other parts of your body. Melanoma that starts in the skin is called melanoma skin cancer.
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