Q:
How is skin cancer diagnosed?
A:
When you suspect unusual moles on the skin are a sign of skin cancer, your care provider will refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist). Here are methods the dermatologist may use to help make a diagnosis.
- A doctor may use tools, such as MalaFind or dermatoscope, to scan the lesion. Then, pictures of the lesion will be present on a computer screen. Evaluation of the lesion to see whether it is cancerous will be done by the computer.
- A doctor may take a sample of your skin and examine the lesion under a microscope.
You will go through more tests if you’re diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
Additional tests include:
- A chest X-ray
- Blood tests
Keyword: skin cancer diagnosis
