The malign melanoma develops from the pigment cells of the skin. Therefore the colour is usually black, but also lighter variations exist (amelanotic melanoma) which are particularly difficult to recognise. Most melanoma develop on the trunk and the extremity’s, sometimes from existing moles, liver spots, sometimes new.  Other areas are: face (especially on older people), nails, soles of the feet, mouth in the oral mucosa, eyes (choroid membrane melanoma). Men and women are affected alike and often between 50 and 60 years of age. The malignant melanoma however also develops on young people from the age of 16.  The danger of the malignant melanoma increases with the thickness of the tumour. The thickness is measured on the histological tissue. The danger in thin melanoma with less than 1 mm tumour thickness is low in the following progress.  Thicker melanoma, greater than 4 mm have a higher risk. Fortunately these days most melanoma are discovered early and therefore removed with a low tumour thickness. Approximately 85% of all patients with malignant melanoma are cured after the first surgery. You can read more on the following pages about the treatment of the malignant melanoma.