A melanoma biopsy diagnoses skin cancer and determines its severity. There are three types: excisional, incisional, and punch. A sentinel node biopsy may be needed to see if the cancer has spread.
A melanoma biopsy is a medical procedure that diagnoses melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer. There are three types of melanoma biopsies: excisional, incisional, and punch. Every biopsy involves taking a sample of the suspicious area, such as a mole or growth, for analysis. Although a doctor may be able to detect skin cancer by sight, a biopsy will confirm what a visual diagnosis of the condition suggests. If a biopsy reveals a malignant presence of melanoma, the next step may be another procedure called a sentinel node biopsy.
An excisional biopsy is a type of melanoma biopsy in which the doctor removes the entire suspicious area for analysis. Additionally, it might also remove normal-looking skin bordering the suspicious area. An incisional biopsy is the second type of melanoma biopsy in which the doctor removes only part of the suspicious area, usually the bumpiest part, for analysis. A third type of melanoma biopsy is a punch biopsy, which is a procedure primarily for the purpose of removing samples that may be deeper in the skin. For a punch biopsy, the doctor presses an instrument that has a circular blade around the suspected area and removes a round piece of skin.
The depth and size of a suspicious area, as well as the depth and size of the sample taken for a biopsy, vary in each individual case. In an excisional biopsy, if the suspicious area is large, the patient may also need to undergo a skin graft. Prior to a melanoma biopsy, the patient will receive numbing medicine. Afterwards, your doctor will close the area with stitches if needed.
A melanoma biopsy not only confirms skin cancer, but also determines the stage, or severity, of a particular person’s condition. The finding could be benign or malignant. If malignant, the doctor will need to know if the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. To find out, your doctor may do a different type of biopsy called a sentinel node biopsy.
In a sentinel node biopsy, the doctor injects a dye into the site of the biopsy sample. This dye travels to and dyes nearby lymph nodes. The doctor then removes the lymph nodes that absorb the dye and examines them for cancer cells. Cancer-free cells are a good indicator, though not a guarantee, that the melanoma has not spread. If the melanoma has spread, other tests will determine how far and your doctor will recommend a treatment plan accordingly.
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