OBJECTIVES: Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer that starts in melanocytes. New treatment methods may offer significant benefits in treating patients with advanced melanoma, but in order to assess their cost-effectiveness via pharmacoeconomic modelling data on epidemiology, current standard of care, adverse events and costs is needed. The aim of this study is to collect such information using surveys in major centers in Poland. METHODS: A questionnaire was designed and implemented in MS Excel, and then distributed in three hospitals in Poland covering the majority of melanoma patients being treated. The survey questions encompassed: the disease characteristics, current treatment patterns, health care resources utilization and costs among patients diagnosed with melanoma (SIII-SIV). Resources costs and standard of care data for melanoma patients were divided into three therapy lines, and information such as treatment scheme, drug cost and performed diagnostic procedures were collected. RESULTS: The preliminary results coming from one center are available at this stage. Melanoma incidence and mortality rate (per 100,000) are equal respectively to 8.8 and 3.7 (data for year 2010). The continuation of existing trends will cause an increase of morbidity in the next years and the numer of incidence cases can even double in 10 years time. The most common form of treatment in metastatic patients is chemotherapy. The results demonstrate that costs of consecutive lines of therapy decrease, and total yearly cost of 1st, 2nd and 3rd line treatment is estimated to be 1.2mln PLN (1 Euro=4.4 PLN). Adverse events total cost amounts to 77,000 PLN. CONCLUSIONS: Melanoma is one of the most malignant human cancers in Poland with an increasing incidence rate. In connection with several treatment patterns that exist, it is necessary to gather detailed clinical data in order to use it in pharmacoeconomic modelling in health technology assessment process.