When Would You Need a Melanoma Biopsy

Melanoma is the rarest but most dangerous of the three types of skin cancer. It is potentially life threatening because it will often spread to other parts of the body. This makes it hard to treat and it can damage or destroy vital organs leading to secondary complications. The key to surviving melanoma is prevention combined with early detection. In most cases, if the disease is detected early on it can be treated successfully. Part of the detection process is a melanoma biopsy. This is often done on a suspicious mole or mark on the skin. It gives more information about the extent to which the cancer has spread and possible ways to treat the cancer.

The aim of the biopsy is to take a sample of the suspicious tissue for a more rigorous diagnosis. This can be done by completely removing all the suspicious tissue. This is called a excisional biopsy. The other method is to take a small sample of the suspicious tissue leaving the rest intact on the skin. This is known as incisional biopsy.

The preferred method is to excise all the suspicious tissue as it removes all the potentially cancerous cells. It will also take a bit of skin around the perimeter of the growth. Taking a sample or incisional biopsy is normally reserved for large growths or parts of the body, like the face, where a scar or wound could cause psychological distress.

The process of taking a sample or removing the growth is fairly straightforward. It can be performed in the doctors clinic or at a skin cancer center. The patient remains conscious throughout the procedure and a local anesthetic is applied to the part of the body where the growth is located.

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.

Getting a melanoma biopsy is the best way to confirm the true extent of a suspicious mark or mole. It is only done after an initial consultation with a skin care specialist. The details that are returned from the biopsy are used to understand how far the cancer has progressed and the best way to treat the disease.

Early and conclusive detection of melanoma growths are vital to treating the disease effectively. If found early, the tissues can be cut out. If it has spread then aggressive cancer treatments may be required.

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Tagged with: skin • Skin Care