PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Facilitate studies aimed at investigating new prognostic markers and potentially therapeutic therapies in malignant melanoma.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo collection of blood samples at the time of the initial diagnostic work-up, and possibly prior to the initiation of surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy, at tumor progression or recurrence, and annually during routine follow-up (no more than 4 blood draws per year). Patients may also undergo collection of tissue sample during standard of care surgical or radiologic procedures. Healthy individuals undergo collection of blood samples up to 4 times over 1 year.