According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 97,610 new melanoma diagnoses will be made within a year. However, knowing that many people develop skin cancer may not necessarily put your mind at ease when you're facing a diagnosis. Learning more about your condition and the treatments available to you can help you find peace of mind. These are three common concerns that patients have when seeking melanoma cancer treatment: 

1. Prognosis

After being diagnosed with melanoma, you may have worries about your future health. Your doctor can give you a prognosis of your cancer based on its size, location, and degree to which it has spread. You should be aware that there are many treatments available to help people who suffer from melanoma. These treatments can improve your prognosis. Excision surgery is a first-line treatment that is used to physically remove cancerous cells from your body. If your melanoma cancer has spread, additional therapies, such as radiation therapy, can be used to fight cancer cells located elsewhere in your body.

2. Pain

When facing melanoma cancer treatment, it's natural to wonder if the tests and procedures you must undergo will be painful. When thinking about this, you should keep in mind that your doctors will do everything within their power to keep you comfortable at every stage of your treatment. Biopsies and excision surgeries for melanoma are typically performed under local anesthesia. That means that you will be awake during your treatment, but you will only feel pressure instead of pain. Your doctor can recommend over-the-counter medications and self-care practices to help you manage any postoperative pain you may feel after your cancer treatments.

3. Efficacy Of Treatment

Your dermatologist will suggest the types of skin cancer treatment that they believe will give you the best chance of eliminating your cancer or putting it into remission. However, it's a good idea to be informed. If you're unsure about any treatment, you can ask your doctor how likely that treatment is to improve your situation. Many of the treatments used to address melanoma are highly effective and minimally invasive. For example, Mohs surgery is a type of surgery performed with the guidance of real-time laboratory results. This surgery can help your doctor achieve clear margins on the first surgical attempt.

Having concerns about a new cancer diagnosis and the resultant treatment is natural. Talking to your doctor about these concerns can help you learn more about your options so that you can get the best treatment to help you feel better.