Melanoma begins in skin cells called melanocytes and to understand melanoma it is important to have an insight into the skin and melanocytes.Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become malignant. Melanoma when occurs in the eye it is called intraocular melanoma or ocular melanoma.Melanoma,rarely arise in the meninges,lymph nodes, digestive tract or some other areas where melanocytes are found. The cancer information service and malignant melanoma forums are there to provide guidelines on types of melanoma.

Melanoma is one of the most common types of cancer, the chance of its occurrence increases with age but melanoma affects people of all ages. Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, melanoma can be found on head, neck and trunk. In women, melanoma is usually found on the lower legs. Melanoma is rare in black and dark-skinned people. When melanoma grows cancer cells are usually shown in the nearby lymph nodes. The cause of malignant melanoma may be long term exposure to sun.