Five-Year Survival Rates

Prognosis with melanoma depends on melanoma thickness (how deeply the melanoma penetrates the skin) and ulceration (whether or not an open sore is present on the tumor).

Prognosis is directly related to stage at diagnosis.

Stage at Diagnosis 5-Year Relative Survival Rate
All Stages 90.5%
Stage 0 100%
Stage I-II (Localized) 97.6%
Stage III (Regional) 60.3%
Stage IV (Distant) 16.2%

From the National Cancer Institute's Physician Data Query system

Approximately 83% of melanomas are diagnosed at a localized stage.