Melanoma

Diagnosis

Specialists at Mayo Clinic work as a team to make a prompt melanoma diagnosis so patients can begin treatment as soon as possible. Mayo doctors begin by evaluating suspicious skin growths. A device that magnifies and illuminates the skin, called a dermatoscope, is sometimes used to look more closely at unusual skin areas.

Next, a skin tissue sample (biopsy) of the questionable spot is taken for laboratory analysis by a pathologist. Biopsy results are usually available within a day or two. Mayo Clinic's surgical pathologists and dermatopathologists are world-renowned for their expertise in identifying melanoma stage, depth and severity, critical for selecting the most appropriate treatment combination.

If the cancer invades deeply into the skin, a sentinel lymph node biopsy may be recommended. This procedure identifies the lymph node that first receives drainage from a malignant (cancerous) tumor. If no cancer cells are found in the sentinel lymph node, then the chance of cancer having spread to other parts of the body is very low.

X-rays, CT scans, PET scans and blood tests also may be performed to determine if the cancer has spread. Blood tests may be done to identify patients with a family history of melanoma.