Early signs and symptoms of melanoma are changes to the shape or color of current moles or, in the case of nodular melanoma, the advent of a new lump everywhere at the skin. At later levels, the mole may additionally itch, ulcerate, or bleed. Early signs of cancer are summarized with the aid of the mnemonic "ABCDEF":
- Borders (irregular with edges and corners)
- Diameter (extra than 6 mm (0.24 in), about the scale of a pencil eraser)
This class does now not practice to nodular cancer, which has its very own classifications:
- Elevated above the skin floor
Metastatic cancer may also motive nonspecific paraneoplastic symptoms, which include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Metastasis (spread) of early melanoma is possible, however relatively uncommon; less than a 5th of melanomas recognized early come to be metastatic. Brain metastases are specially not unusual in patients with metastatic cancer. It can also spread to the liver, bones, stomach, or remote lymph nodes.