melanoma

Term: melanoma

Origin: Anc Greek μέλας/melas(=dark, black) +-ωμα/-oma (suffix denoting state or condition of mass growth)

Coined: Hippocrates was credited with the first description of melanoma and there was no any contribution until 17^th cen when Highmore, Bartholin and Bonet described the “fatal black tumor”. Laennec and Dupuytren independently published treatises on melanosis and finally in 1836 Carswell coined the term melanoma.  In 1868 Langerhans noted melanocytes in histologic specimens of skin as the “branched cells” but it was not until 1951 that the term melanocyte was adopted.

Source: Neal Koss, The current status of the melanoma problem The Yale J of Biology and Medicine 48, 399-401 (1975) “

Definition:

A malignant neoplasm, derived from of melanocytes which are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, and it is arising most
commonly in the skin of any part of the body, or in the eye.