Staging
Staging is a process that tells a doctor the size category of the tumor and if the cancer has spread and if it has, how far. Some doctors use the AJCC staging system, which depends on the size and location of the melanoma, and whether it has invaded nearby tissues or other parts of the body. Many doctors, however, use a classification system developed by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS). This system classifies a melanoma of the eye as small, medium, or large, based on its thickness and diameter, as shown below. These systems apply to melanoma of the choroid and ciliary body only. The AJCC has a separate staging system for melanoma of the iris.
