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Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. A change in a mole or birthmark, or a new, suspicious mole may be a symptom of melanoma. The early stage may be a pigmented lesion. Melanoma is aggressive but if caught early can be cured. A doctor should examine all suspicious-looking skin lesions or changes in moles.

Non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Some basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas also can begin as pigmented lesions.

Pigmented lesions (also called "colored skin spots") can be moles, freckles, certain birthmarks or flesh-colored skin spots.

Another medical name for skin spots is nevi (singular is nevus). An abnormal mole or dysplastic nevus, is more likely to become cancerous than other kinds of moles. These moles are usually more than 5 mm in diameter and have irregular borders. People with a large number of dysplastic nevi are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer and can be monitored by our specialists at the Pigmented Skin Lesion Clinical Practice.

Surgical removal is the most common way to treat skin cancer and suspicious pigmented lesions. Surgical treatments include cryosurgery, laser surgery and Mohs surgery. If a skin cancer is in advanced stages, then other treatments, such as chemotherapy, also may be needed.

Please visit the Health Library to learn more about melanoma and pigmented lesions.