Definition of melanoma
melanomas
alsomelanomata
play \-mə-tə\1 : a tumor containing dark pigment
2 : a highly malignant tumor that starts in melanocytes of normal skin or moles and metastasizes rapidly and widely
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of melanoma from the Web
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One type of cancer that's benefited from research advances is melanoma, the report noted.
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In September 2014, the treatment was approved by the FDA for advanced melanoma and marketed as Keytruda.
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Meanwhile, Pettey warns that cancers of the eye itself, including squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas, also can result from sun exposure.
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While an earlier study had shown a similar immunotherapy drug was effective for a significant proportion of patients with advanced melanoma, lung and kidney cancer, checkpoint inhibitors weren’t making headway with colon cancer.
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If melanoma can't spread to other organs, then it can be contained.
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Six years ago, Boynton Beach dermatologist William Roth didn’t hesitate to pay more than $200,000 for Sensus Healthcare’s SRT-100 machine that uses low-energy radiation therapy to zap non-melanoma cancer cells.
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In 2015, he was poised to join a promising immunotherapy trial but received a surprise diagnosis of stage one melanoma which derailed his plans.
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Worried that the mole on your forehead might be early-stage melanoma?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'melanoma'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of melanoma
New Latin
First Known Use: 1838
MELANOMA Defined for English Language Learners
melanoma
playDefinition of melanoma for English Language Learners
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medical : a type of cancer or tumor that begins as a dark spot or area on the skin
Medical Dictionary
melanoma
playMedical Definition of melanoma
melanomas
alsomelanomata
\-mət-ə\play1: a benign or malignant skin tumor containing dark pigment
2: a tumor of high malignancy that starts in melanocytes of normal skin or moles and metastasizes rapidly and widely—called also malignant melanoma, melanocarcinoma, melanoepithelioma, melanosarcoma
Learn More about melanoma
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See words that rhyme with melanoma Spanish Central: Translation of melanoma Nglish: Translation of melanoma for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of melanoma for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melanoma
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