IMelanoma iqala xa ama-melanocyte eqokelela umonakalo we-genetic kwaye aphenduke abe ngumhlaza, ngokuqhelekileyo phantsi kwefuthe lemitha ye-ultraviolet kunye nokuthambekela okufunwa. Kubantu abaninzi, akukho sizathu sicacileyo esinokufunyanwa, kodwa indibaniselwano yokuchayeka kwe-UV, uhlobo lwesikhumba, kunye nofuzo kudlala indima.
Izinto eziphambili ezibeka umngcipheko we-melanoma kukuchayeka okukhulu okanye okuphindaphindiweyo kwe-UV, isikhumba esikhanyayo esitshiswa lula, amabala amaninzi okanye angajwayelekile, imbali yomntu okanye yosapho ye-melanoma, kunye nobudala obudala. Isikhumba esinsundu sinokuzikhusela okuthile, kodwa i-acral ne-subungual melanomas isenzeka kwaye ivame ukufunyanwa kamva.
Unyango oluphambili lwe-melanoma kukususwa ngokuhlinzwa ngendawo ephephile yesikhumba esiqhelekileyo esijikelezayo umhlaza. Ukuba izindlala zomzimba okanye izitho ezikude zihilelekile, unyango lunokuthi lubandakanye ukuhlinzwa kwezindlala zomzimba, unyango lomzimba, unyango olujoliswe, unyango ngomuthi, kunye/noma imisebe, okukhethwe ngugqirha wezifo zomhlaza ngokusekelwe esigabeni.