When Would You Need a Melanoma Biopsy?

Posted on May 12, 2008

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. In many cases it can be fatal if left undiagnosed and allowed to metastasize to other parts of the body. One way to determine the full extent of a mark or mole on the skin is to have a melanoma biopsy. Usually, the mark will have been examined by a skin cancer professional who will suspect that it could be a melanoma. By having a biopsy, more information can be gained on the mark and confirm the diagnosis. It may also help determine any possible treatments for the disease. There are two types of melanoma biopsy. These are known as excisional and incisional biopsies. In short, an excisional biopsy removes the mark or mole entirely. An incisional biopsy takes a sample of the mole.

Excisional biopsies are preferred as they remove all the potential cancerous growth. They will generally take a part of the skin surrounding the mark too. Incisional biopsies are normally performed when the growth is quite large and it would be impractical to take such a large part of the skin away. Or, the suspected cancer was in a delicate or visible location, like the face, and might leave an unsightly scar or wound.

Both of these procedures can be performed in a doctors clinic or skin cancer center. They only take a few minutes and the person is fully aware when the procedure occurs. Generally, the affected area will have a local anesthetic applied to it.

The removed tissue can then be closely examined. This is done by a pathologist who will determine if the cells in question are malignant. If they are determined to be malignant, further details will be established. One important detail is the depth of the melanoma. This can indicate the progression of the disease and give your doctor information on possible treatments.

Melanoma biopsy is the best and only way to establish the true nature of an unusual mark on your skin. It is only performed when a skin cancer professional already suspects that the mark is cancerous. The information that is returned after the biopsy can inform the doctor about how to treat the mark so that the cancer can be eliminated and never return.

The earlier a suspected mark on the skin is detected and diagnosed conclusively, the earlier the treatment can begin. Early treatment is key to surviving melanoma.

For more details of common symptoms of skin cancer and the different types of skin cancers visit http://symptomsofskincancer.net

Article Author :Adrian_Whittle

Last 6 posts in Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer Prevention Made Easy

It is important to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun. By protecting your skin, you can dramatically reduce the chance that you will suffer from skin cancer at some point in your life. Unfortunately, many people assume that protecting their skin is difficult or troublesome. In reality, practicing good skin cancer prevention techniques is rather easy and involves several simple steps.

SunscreenSunscreen is a very important tool in your efforts to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. All sunscreen is marked with a number such as 8, 15, or 30; this is known as… Continue reading

How Safe is Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant?

Cancer, which was supposed to be an incurable disease, can now be cured if detected at the right time. The rapid advancement in Science and Medicine has opened wide vistas before us for the treatment of life threatening diseases including AIDS, Neurotic diseases and Genetic disorders. In many cases your doctor might suggest a Stem Cell transplant or a Bone marrow transplant as the possible solution for your disease. In this case a cord blood transplant may be a good option.

These stem cells are the blood forming cells of human body and are widely being used in transplants. These cells… Continue reading

Team in Training - What's it All About?

I skipped my workout yesterday, but I had a good excuse. Seriously, I did. I skipped my workout, because I went to a Team in Training information session.

For those of you that don’t know what that is, Team in Training is one of the largest training groups in the nation. They are dedicated to helping the Lymphoma and Leukemia society find a cure for blood cancers. Something that I did not know, is that the Team in Training (TNT) has donated close to $975 million to cancer research since its inception 20 years ago. In the central Texas area alone… Continue reading

Tags:

Related posts

» Filed Under Skin Cancer

Comments

Leave a Reply