A model system of cultivated melanoma cells and melanomas from patients were used in this study to clarify whether survivin protein was involved in UVB induced cell damage and in melanoma progression. The melanoma cells in culture were exposed to different doses of UVB and post-cultivated for various periods of time. Cell viability, apoptotic index and expression of survivin proteins were estimated. Expression of the survivin in normal tissue, nevi, primary and metastatic melanomas from the patients were also examined by immunohistochemistry. Results showed that UVB induced cell damage and apoptosis in melanoma cells. Primary and wt p53 cells were more sensitive than metastatic and mutant p53 melanoma cells. Expression of survivin protein was markedly decreased in the primary melanoma cells after exposure to UVB compared to the metastasis. The expression was markedly decreased in wt p53 melanoma cells, but not in the mutant p53 melanoma cells. Survivin protein was expressed in nevi, primary and metastatic melanomas. However, the normal tissues were not expressed in the survivin protein. Survivin plays an important role in UVB-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of survivin might be a biomarker for early diagnosis for melanoma.