“What are the tests recommended to confirm the diagnosis for skin cancer?”
I have a few patches around the skin of my arm which according to the doctor may be a sign of melanoma. What will be the tests conducted to confirm this diagnosis?
3 Answers
Hi
Melanoma represents 2% of skin cancer. You can use a punch biopsy, a shaving biopsy or excisional biopsy of the entire lesion. If there is melanoma, we need to see the depth of the lesion in millimiters. Above 1 mm, you will need a wife local excision of 1 cm margins and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Above 2 mm you will need a wide local excision of 2 cm margins, sometime with skin graft, depending of the location and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Feel free to contact me with further questions. Thank you for sharing this question.
Massimo Arcerito, MD, FACS
Melanoma represents 2% of skin cancer. You can use a punch biopsy, a shaving biopsy or excisional biopsy of the entire lesion. If there is melanoma, we need to see the depth of the lesion in millimiters. Above 1 mm, you will need a wife local excision of 1 cm margins and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Above 2 mm you will need a wide local excision of 2 cm margins, sometime with skin graft, depending of the location and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Feel free to contact me with further questions. Thank you for sharing this question.
Massimo Arcerito, MD, FACS
Biopsy and if small then removing the mole maybe the only way for sure
Eknath Deo, M.D.
Eknath Deo, M.D.
Most of the time, they will need to do a skin biopsy of the area to determine if it is cancer.
