Abstract

Sun exposure is the primary environmental risk factor for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Non-melanoma skin cancer conforms to the expected site distribution of the most exposed body sites, but the pattern of site distribution with melanoma is more complex. Melanoma is a more aggressive tumour and shows more resistance to therapeutics because of its different cell of origin but some aspects of its site distribution remain elusive. The term melanoma in this discussion applies to cutaneous melanoma only.