Surgery is the main treatment option for most melanomas and particularly early-stage melanomas. Melanoma is removed surgically by excision, which means cutting it out. The goal is to remove all of the melanoma cancer cells. This is often done as two procedures.
The first procedure is a diagnostic excision.
The second procedure is the re-excision, also called a wide local excision.
Scott Baldwin, MD
Surgical Oncologist
Kaiser Permanente (Riverside Medical Center)