We’re much closer than we were a decade ago, but melanoma is not fully curable in all stages yet. Here’s the simple picture:

Where we are close

• Early-stage melanoma (caught before it spreads) is essentially curable with surgery → cure rates >95–99%.

• Many cases of advanced melanoma can now be controlled long-term with immunotherapy (Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy) or targeted therapy (BRAF/MEK inhibitors).

• A subset of metastatic patients achieve complete response that lasts for years — effectively a “functional cure.”

Where we are not yet close

• Some tumors resist or stop responding to immunotherapy.

• Brain metastases remain a major challenge.

• No treatment works for all aggressive melanomas.

Simple takeaway

We haven’t cured melanoma universally, but for many patients — even some with metastatic disease — today’s treatments can eliminate or control the cancer long-term. Early detection remains the closest thing to a true cure.

Here are key new and emerging melanoma treatments in 2025 (brief, high-value):

1. Personalized mRNA melanoma vaccines

• Moderna + Merck mRNA-4157 (V940) combined with Keytruda continues to show strong reduction in recurrence for high-risk melanoma.

• Likely to become a major new standard.

2. Next-generation immunotherapy combinations

• PD-1 + LAG-3 inhibitors (e.g., nivolumab + relatlimab) expanding into earlier-stage and adjuvant settings.

• Triplet immunotherapy regimens in trials for metastatic disease.

3. Adoptive cell therapies

• Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy (like lifileucel, approved in 2024) gaining wider use and updated protocols that improve durability.

4. New targeted therapy strategies

• Improved BRAF/MEK inhibitors with longer durability.

• Early-stage agents targeting NRAS, KIT, and resistance pathways.

5. Personalized neoantigen vaccines

• Multiple Phase 1/2 trials show strong immune activation and promising early recurrence-free results.

If you want, I can make a very short list, a patient-friendly version, or a pipeline list of drugs in Phase 3.

There is no medically standard “5 C’s of melanoma.”
The only universally accepted system is the ABCDE rule (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving).

However, some public-facing education materials loosely use a “5 C’s” shorthand, usually referring to melanoma warning signs. The most common version is:

The informal “5 C’s”:

1. Change — any mole that changes in size, shape, or behavior

2. Color — uneven or multiple colors

3. Contour — irregular, jagged, or blurred edges

4. Circumference — growing larger

5. Composition — new symptoms like itching, bleeding, crusting

Important:
These are not official clinical criteria — just a simplified way some educators summarize melanoma warning signs. Dermatologists still rely on ABCDE.

Top 5 Melanoma Hospitals in the U.S.

1. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) — New York, NY
   World leader in melanoma surgery, immunotherapy, and clinical trials.

2. MD Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, TX
   High-volume melanoma program; pioneers in immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

3. Dana-Farber / Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center — Boston, MA
   National leader in melanoma genetics, targeted therapy, and combination treatments.

4. UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center — Los Angeles, CA
   Cutting-edge melanoma research, especially in immunotherapy and personalized vaccines.

5. UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center — San Francisco, CA
   Strong melanoma surgery program and access to innovative clinical trials.

The “melanoma capital of the world” is Queensland, Australia.

Queensland has the highest melanoma rates globally, driven by intense UV exposure, outdoor lifestyle, and a largely fair-skinned population.