A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has a superficial lesion. A biopsy indicates malignant melanoma. Which of the following treatment choices should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. This is the correct answer. Malignant melanoma, even when superficial, is primarily treated with wide surgical excision to completely remove the tumor along with an adequate margin of healthy tissue. Early surgical removal offers the best chance for cure and prevents local spread or metastasis. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may also be considered depending on tumor depth. B. Cryosurgery is not appropriate for malignant melanoma. It is sometimes used for benign or premalignant skin lesions (such as actinic keratosis) but does not allow for complete tumor margin control, making it unsafe for treating melanoma. C. Radiation therapy is generally not a first-line treatment for superficial melanoma. It may be used in select cases for palliation, inoperable tumors, or metastatic disease, but it is not the standard treatment for early-stage melanoma. D. Chemotherapy is reserved for advanced or metastatic melanoma when the disease has spread beyond the skin. It is not indicated for superficial melanoma, where localized surgical management is effective.