| Melanoma is the most serious form of skin | | | | doctors clinic or skin cancer center. They only |
| cancer. In many cases it can be fatal if left | | | | take a few minutes and the person is fully aware |
| undiagnosed and allowed to metastasize to other | | | | when the procedure occurs. Generally, the |
| parts of the body. One way to determine the full | | | | affected area will have a local anesthetic applied |
| extent of a mark or mole on the skin is to have | | | | to it. |
| a melanoma biopsy. Usually, the mark will have | | | | The removed tissue can then be closely |
| been examined by a skin cancer professional who | | | | examined. This is done by a pathologist who will |
| will suspect that it could be a melanoma. By | | | | determine if the cells in question are malignant. If |
| having a biopsy, more information can be gained | | | | they are determined to be malignant, further |
| on the mark and confirm the diagnosis. It may | | | | details will be established. One important detail is |
| also help determine any possible treatments for | | | | the depth of the melanoma. This can indicate the |
| the disease. There are two types of melanoma | | | | progression of the disease and give your doctor |
| biopsy. These are known as excisional and | | | | information on possible treatments. |
| incisional biopsies. In short, an excisional biopsy | | | | Melanoma biopsy is the best and only way to |
| removes the mark or mole entirely. An incisional | | | | establish the true nature of an unusual mark on |
| biopsy takes a sample of the mole. | | | | your skin. It is only performed when a skin cancer |
| Excisional biopsies are preferred as they remove | | | | professional already suspects that the mark is |
| all the potential cancerous growth. They will | | | | cancerous. The information that is returned after |
| generally take a part of the skin surrounding the | | | | the biopsy can inform the doctor about how to |
| mark too. Incisional biopsies are normally | | | | treat the mark so that the cancer can be |
| performed when the growth is quite large and it | | | | eliminated and never return. |
| would be impractical to take such a large part of | | | | The earlier a suspected mark on the skin is |
| the skin away. Or, the suspected cancer was in a | | | | detected and diagnosed conclusively, the earlier |
| delicate or visible location, like the face, and might | | | | the treatment can begin. Early treatment is key |
| leave an unsightly scar or wound. | | | | to surviving melanoma. |
| Both of these procedures can be performed in a | | | | |