Treatment for melanoma skin cancer

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your health when preparing for treatment. This is called prehabilitation or prehab.

Treatment can include surgery and cancer drugs such as targeted cancer drugs, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. When ones you have depends on a number of factors.

Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma skin cancer. The type of surgery you need depends on the stage of the melanoma and where it is in your body.

You may have targeted cancer drugs or immunotherapy after surgery. Which type you have depends on if the melanoma has any gene changes or not.

Radiotherapy isn't a common treatment for melanoma skin cancer. Some people may have it after surgery or for melanoma that has spread elsewhere in the body (advanced melanoma).

Treatments include targeted cancer drugs, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. They aim to control the cancer, any symptoms you have and improve your quality of life.

After treatment for melanoma skin cancer, you have regular follow up appointments. How often you have follow up appointments and for how long, depends on a number of factors.