Cutaneous malignant melanoma represents the major cause of mortality among skin cancers. Metastasis-associated protein CD24 is a small, heavily glycosylated cell surface protein that is overexpressed in various human malignancies. The present study was designed to determine the roles of CD24 in cutaneous malignant melanoma. The levels of CD24 mRNA and protein in cutaneous malignant melanoma tissues were detected by RT-PCR, Western blot and IHC. In patient samples, the levels of CD24 mRNA and protein were higher in cancer tissues than that in normal tissues. CD24 expression decreased the survival time of the patients with melanoma. Taken together, these results suggest that CD24 may be used as a new drug target for cutaneous malignant melanoma.