nodular melanoma

melanoma /mel·a·no·ma/ (mel″ah-no´mah) a tumor arising from the melanocytic system of the skin and other organs; used alone, it refers to malignant m..

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acral-lentiginous melanoma  an irregular, enlarging black macule with a prolonged noninvasive stage, occurring chiefly on the palms and soles; it is the most common type of melanoma in nonwhite persons.

amelanotic melanoma  an unpigmented malignant melanoma.

juvenile melanoma  spindle and epithelioid cell nevus.

lenti´go malig´na melanoma  a cutaneous malignant melanoma arising in the site of a preexisting lentigo maligna, occurring on sun exposed areas, particularly of the face.

malignant melanoma  a malignant tumor usually developing from a nevus or lentigo maligna and consisting of black masses of cells with a marked tendency to metastasis.

nodular melanoma  a type of malignant melanoma without a perceptible radial growth phase, usually occurring on the head, neck, or trunk as a uniformly pigmented, elevated, bizarrely colored, rapidly enlarging nodule that ulcerates.

ocular melanoma  malignant melanoma arising from the structures of the eye, frequently metastasizing and rapidly causing death.

subungual melanoma  acral-lentiginous melanoma in the nail fold or bed.

superficial spreading melanoma  malignant melanoma characterized by a period of radial growth atypical of epidermal melanocytes, which may be followed by invasive growth or may regress; it usually occurs as a small pigmented macule or papule with irregular outline on the lower leg or back.

uveal melanoma  ocular melanoma consisting of overgrowth of uveal melanocytes.

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nodular melanoma,

a melanoma that is nodular and uniformly pigmented, usually bluish-black, and sometimes surrounded by an irregular halo of pale, unpigmented skin. The lesion is always raised and may be dome-shaped or polypoid. Most often the tumor is found in middle-aged adults and occurs in 10% to 15% of patients with melanoma. See also lentigo maligna melanoma, superficial spreading melanoma.

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nodular melanoma

A melanoma that comprises 15% of melanomas; NM is similar clinically to superficial spreading melanoma; 50% average 5-yr survival. See Melanoma.