Question:easy
What is the most common type of malignant melanoma?
What is the most common type of malignant melanoma?
Show Hint
Recall which melanoma subtype grows outward on the surface first before invading deep, and is most frequent overall.
Updated On: Jul 8, 2026
- Superficial spreading
- Acral lentiginous
- Nodular
- Lentigo maligna
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Malignant melanoma is split into a few histological types, and the question wants the one seen most often.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Rank the subtypes by how common each one is in general practice.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Most melanomas spread outward along the top of the skin for a while before growing deep, and this pattern defines superficial spreading melanoma, which makes up the largest single share of cases.
Nodular melanoma skips the sideways growth and pushes straight down from early on, so it is picked up later, but it is less common than the superficial spreading type.
Lentigo maligna melanoma grows out of a longstanding pigmented patch on sun-exposed skin, typically the face of an older person, and accounts for a smaller fraction of cases.
Acral lentiginous melanoma sits on the palms, soles, or under the nails and is the rarest type in most population studies, though relatively more frequent in darker skin.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The superficial spreading type accounts for the largest share of malignant melanomas.
$\boxed{\text{Superficial spreading melanoma}}$
Malignant melanoma is split into a few histological types, and the question wants the one seen most often.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Rank the subtypes by how common each one is in general practice.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Most melanomas spread outward along the top of the skin for a while before growing deep, and this pattern defines superficial spreading melanoma, which makes up the largest single share of cases.
Nodular melanoma skips the sideways growth and pushes straight down from early on, so it is picked up later, but it is less common than the superficial spreading type.
Lentigo maligna melanoma grows out of a longstanding pigmented patch on sun-exposed skin, typically the face of an older person, and accounts for a smaller fraction of cases.
Acral lentiginous melanoma sits on the palms, soles, or under the nails and is the rarest type in most population studies, though relatively more frequent in darker skin.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The superficial spreading type accounts for the largest share of malignant melanomas.
$\boxed{\text{Superficial spreading melanoma}}$
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