How often should I get scans to monitor my Melanoma

Monitoring Scans for Melanoma: What to Expect

Great question—monitoring is an important part of your melanoma care. However, the frequency of your scans depends heavily on your specific situation, including your melanoma stage, whether it has spread, and your individual risk factors.

General Monitoring Approach

According to the NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Melanoma (2025), your care team will determine how often you need follow-up testing based on:

• How likely your cancer is to return (recurrence risk)
• Your melanoma stage (early stage vs. advanced/metastatic)
• Whether you've had treatment and what type
• Your overall health and risk factors

What the Guidelines Say

The NCCN Guidelines emphasize that your provider may expect to examine your skin and lymph nodes at least once a year. However, this is a minimum baseline—your specific schedule may be more frequent depending on your situation.

Key Points About Your Monitoring Plan

Your care team should:

• Explain how often you'll need follow-up testing
• Teach you how to do self-exams of your skin and lymph nodes
• Discuss what imaging tests (CT scans, PET scans, etc.) you might need and when

Important: The type and frequency of imaging tests vary significantly based on whether your melanoma was caught early or has spread to other parts of your body.

Questions to Ask Your Oncology Team

Since monitoring plans are highly individualized, here are specific questions to clarify YOUR schedule:

1. "Based on my stage and risk factors, how often should I have imaging scans (CT, PET, or other)?"
2. "How often will you examine my skin and lymph nodes in clinic?"
3. "What warning signs should I watch for between appointments?"
4. "Should I be doing self-skin exams, and how often?"
5. "Will my monitoring schedule change over time, and if so, when?"

Self-Monitoring at Home

Between clinic visits, you play an important role. The NCCN Guidelines recommend using the ABCDE rule to check your skin regularly:

• Asymmetry – One half doesn't match the other
• Border – Irregular, hard-to-define edges
• Color – Not uniform throughout
• Diameter – Larger than a pencil eraser (6mm)
• Evolving – Changes in size, shape, or color over time

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This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare team for personalized medical advice and decisions.