CNS and Extracranial Tumor Tissues, CSF, and Blood From Patients With Melanoma Brain Metastases

Among the different sites to which melanoma can spread, the Central Nervous System (CNS) has the highest chance of developing metastases. Prognosis for metastatic melanoma involving the CNS is worse than that of CNS metastases from other cancers. Therefore, it is felt that early identification of this condition, even before it is found on x-ray (either MRI or CT scan), would be beneficial so that patients can undergo treatment earlier. The investigator hypothesizes that the tumor cell genetics, expressed proteins, and/or signaling pathways of melanoma brain metastases may exhibit features that distinguish melanoma brain metastases. The investigator further hypothesizes that melanoma brain metastases may be associated with changes in the cerebrospinal fluid, where protein fragments expressed by melanoma brain metastases may be shed that cannot be found in normal CNS tissues, extracranial metastases (MEM) or at the same levels in the peripheral blood.