Melanoma Program Our Services

Patients of the Melanoma Program are seen in consultation during a weekly interdisciplinary clinic and have access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available. Supportive care is also available through the CompleteLife Program whose staff compassionately support and educate our patients by tending to the emotional, mental, social and spiritual needs of our patients.

Diagnostic Tools

Melanoma and other skin cancer diagnosis may be aided by one or more of the following tools:

  • clinical examination to look for moles, birthmarks, or other pigmented areas that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture
  • blood testing to measure the amounts of certain substances in the blood that may indicate the presence of cancer
  • radiographic studies, such as a CT scan or X-ray, to create a picture of some portion of the body
  • sentinel node biopsy to remove and examine the sentinel node(s), the first lymph node(s) to which cancer cells are likely to spread from a primary tumor
  • dermatopathology to examine a portion of the skin tissue or tissue just beneath the skin under a microscope

    • Therapeutic Options

    Treatment options for patients with melanoma and other skin cancers include one or more of the following, based on the most current treatment recommendations and the needs of the patient. Post-treatment follow-up care is coordinated on a case-by-case basis with the referring physician.

  • surgical excision, to remove the cancer and sometimes surrounding healthy tissues and lymph nodes, and reconstruction such as skin grafting to replace the skin that is removed with skin from another part of the body
  • chemotherapy to kill cancer cells with drugs
  • radiotherapy to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
  • immunotherapy to help the patient’s immune system to fight cancer

    • IU Simon Cancer Center patients have access to all standard treatment therapies and, for those who qualify, state of the science clinical trials for care options not yet available elsewhere. Information is also available about ongoing clinical studies elsewhere in the United States.