Stony Brook offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up services for patients with melanoma, including expedited diagnosis and technologically advanced radiation, surgical, and systemic therapies. For more information: Diagnosis & Treatment.
Most patients are first evaluated through the Department of Dermatology, which provides more than 13,000 outpatient visits a year. Some patients with early melanoma can be managed exclusively through the Department of Dermatology. Those needing lymph node sampling or skin grafting are evaluated by Surgical Oncology. More than 90 percent of patients with melanoma are treated with surgery alone. Patients with advanced or recurrent disease have their cases reviewed by the Tumor Board to establish optimum treatment.
- Advanced Treatment. Stony Brook offers isolated limb infusion for recurrent melanoma that is limited to an extremity. In this procedure, the arm or leg with the recurrent melanoma is isolated from the rest of the body by a tight tourniquet. Catheters, which circulate warm chemotherapy, are inserted in the main artery and vein to that extremity. While not a cure, it can control the disease for a period of time.
- Skin Cancer Clinic. Adam Korzenko, MD, Department of Dermatology, developed a skin cancer clinic at the Cancer Center to expand treatment of patients with skin cancer. It is coordinated with the melanoma clinic led by Tara Huston, MD, of the Department of Surgery.
Our exceptional clinical support services contribute to coordinated care. These include Nutrition Services, Palliative Care/Survivorship & Support and Physical and Occupational Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Yoga. For more information, see Patient Support.