Eligibility will be determined based on clinicopathologic data derived from patient medical records and established by two or more board-certified Mayo Clinic pathologists.

Inclusion Criteria:

CASES and CONTROLS

• Inclusion criteria are age ≥ 18 years.

CASES

• Eligible if unequivocally confirmed diagnosis of metastatic melanoma, either by histology or patient history + imaging.

Exclusion Criteria:

CASES and CONTROLS

• History of an internal malignancy other than melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer within 5 years prior to blood draw.
• Ambiguous pathology.
• Insufficient or poor quality DNA retrievable from blood sample.

CASES

• Excluded if:
  • all metastatic lesion(s) surgically removed
  • exposed to radiation therapy 7 days prior to blood draw,
  • transplant prior to blood draw iv) surgery or biopsy of any lesion in the 7 days prior to blood draw.

CONTROLS:

• Excluded if internal malignancy other than melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer is documented within 3 years after blood draw.