The doctor will check the condition of the skin and decide if you require further examination by a specialist. This is the beginning of the process prior to the diagnosis of melanoma.
Biopsy
Biopsies are usually done by a local anesthetic. The area around the mole will become numb (numb) and you will not feel pain. If the doctor suspects a mole examined as melanoma, you will be referred to see a specialist skin (dermatology) or plastic surgeon for further examination.
Dermatologist or plastic surgeon may do a biopsy. A small operation to remove the mole is melanoma likely to be further investigated with a microscope. This process is performed to determine whether the mole was cancerous or not.
Operation is further needs to be done if a mole is cancerous. In most cases, surgery is performed to remove the affected skin cancer and treated by a plastic surgeon.
Further tests
A test is more needs to be done to you if there is a concern that there is a cancer that has spread to other organs, such as bone or into your circulatory system. Other tests that may be done include:
- Blood tests
- X-ray imaging
- MRI Scan
- CT Scan
Sentinel lymph node biopsy
Early pattern of the spread of melanoma generally spread through the flow in the skin called the lymphatic system, to the nearest lymph node groups. Medically lymph nodes are also known as 'lymph'. These glands can be found anywhere in the body. Glands which are part of the immune system helps destroy bacteria and unwanted particles in the body.
Set of melanoma cells in very small vessels can spread through the lymphatic system to the lymph nodes. Eg melanoma skin cancer in the arms often spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit or on foot melanoma skin cancer often spreads to the lymph nodes in the groin.
Processes carried plastic surgeon called sentinel lymph node biopsy is a test to determine whether the melanoma in a very small number have spread to the lymph nodes. Small deployment is usually not visible on X-ray test results but more easily identified by the sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Combined blue ink and a weak radioactive elements will be included plastic surgeons around your wound before the surgical removal of part of the skin. Just like melanoma cells, and a radioactive element blue ink will flow following the lymphatic channels in the skin. Logically, the combined elements of it will go to the first lymph node, as well as lymph node intended by the cancer, this is called the sentinel lymph node.
With blue ink and a radioactive element that has been injected, the sentinel node is found and removed, while nodes that are not contracting normally abandoned. The node will be handed over to a specialist pathologist to examine, recognize, or separate the melanoma cells were very small. This entire process can take several weeks.
For patients with lymph node that is already infected with melanoma, there is likely melanoma has spread to other places. If the sentinel lymph node net from melanoma, can be sure that the other lymph nodes are also clean, but not impossible melanoma can spread.
If melanoma is in the sentinel lymph node, there is a risk of 20% at least one lymph node in the same group are melanoma. In this condition, to lift all remaining lymph nodes in the group infected will usually recommended. The larger operations are usually referred to as thorough lymph node dissection or complete lymphadenectomy.
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