Our team of world-class experts at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center offers patients with melanoma the most advanced treatments and state-of-the-art technology coupled with compassionate, supportive care. Our melanoma team includes experts from a wide range of medical specialties that work together to care for all types of melanoma, including the most rare and complex. Our experienced clinicians diagnose, treat, and manage melanoma from the very earliest stages through complex care in the advanced stages.
Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center includes experts across disciplines and specialties from both Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). Our two institutions work together as one, creating a seamless experience for patients while providing top expertise and comprehensive care. As a patient, you will be cared for by some of the world’s leading melanoma specialists, including dermatologic oncologists, dermatopathologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists. Together, they will develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to meet your specific needs.
As part of the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, the Center for Melanoma Oncology provides comprehensive care to patients with all types of melanoma, including uncommon types such as mucosal, ocular, acral, desmoplastic, and atypical spitzoid melanoma. Patients receive individualized care, with dermatologists playing a key role in diagnosis, management, and follow-up care. Our team meets every week with medical oncologists, dermatopathologists, and surgical oncologists to discuss new cases and develop treatment plans. All new patients have their pathology reviewed by specialized dermatopathologists, and depending on the stage of your melanoma, you may meet with medical oncology, surgical oncology and dermatologic oncology on your first visit.
In addition to multi-disciplinary care provided at the Dana-Farber Brigham Center for Melanoma Oncology, our Mohs Dermatologic Surgery Center located at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital offers highly specialized outpatient treatment for early-stage melanomas. Our board-certified dermatologic surgeons use the latest surgical techniques, including Mohs surgery with MART-1 staining, which allow for greater surgical precision, a faster recovery and better outcomes for our patients. As leading melanoma researchers, our clinicians make recommendations for treatment based on the very latest evidence and offer access to clinical trials.
In addition to expert diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, we offer support services focused on improving your quality of life. These services include nutritional counseling, emotional and spiritual support, financial advice and complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage through the Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies. Our team is here to help you every step of the way so you can focus on healing.
Melanoma is a type of cancer that develops in cells of the skin called melanocytes. These cells are in the deepest part of the epidermis, which is the top layer of skin. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body and can develop from an existing mole or as a new lesion. Melanoma can also occur in the eye, where it is called intraocular or ocular melanoma.
Melanoma is the 5th most common type of cancer in the United States, where it accounts for 5% of all new cancer diagnoses. Other types of skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are much more common than melanoma, which accounts for less than 2 percent of all skin cancers in the United States. However, melanoma is more likely than many other skin cancers to spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.
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