Melanoma and Nevus Clinic

Moles are common in children. They may be present at birth or show up later. Most moles are not anything to worry about, but a type of skin cancer called melanoma sometimes forms from or within a mole.

Our Pediatric Melanoma and Nevus Clinic diagnoses and treats children with unusual moles and skin cancer. Nevus (plural: nevi) is a medical term for a mole or a birthmark.

Our Multidisciplinary Team

Treating moles and melanoma often requires many specialists. We have doctors who specialize in dermatology, pediatric cancer, plastic surgery, pediatric surgery and pediatric otolaryngology (ENT). Our team also includes specialists in radiology and genetics, and specialists in dermatopathology, who study and diagnose skin diseases.

Your child’s treatment team includes doctors who look for new and advanced treatment options through clinical trials and other studies.

Convenient care

The entire team works together to monitor and treat children with suspicious moles or skin cancer. We coordinate care and follow-up with multiple specialists, often on the same day to limit your trips to the clinic.

Pediatric Skin Conditions We Treat

Our clinic treats patients with:

Atypical moles: Unusually shaped moles, also called dysplastic nevi, increase the risk for melanoma. Atypical moles may include a spitz nevus, which is sometimes confused with melanoma.
Large or giant congenital moles: Dark-colored patches of skin present at birth (or that develop within the first year) that grow proportionally as a child ages are called giant congenital nevi. Having a giant congenital nevus increases a child’s risk of developing melanoma.
Familial skin cancer predisposition syndromes: Genetic changes inherited from a parent may increase the risk of skin cancer.
Melanoma: Childhood skin cancer is rare. However, melanoma — the most severe type of skin cancer — is the most common type of skin cancer in children.

Child-Centered Skin Cancer Care

The Pediatric Melanoma and Nevus Clinic offers the family-focused care of St. Louis Children’s Hospital combined with the world-class expertise of the Siteman Cancer Center. At Siteman Kids, our family-centered care philosophy creates a strong healing environment for young patients and their families.