History and Physical Examination :
Usually the first step is to take your medical history, ask about your age, when the mark on the skin first appeared and whether it has changed in size or appearance, and whether anyone in your family has had skin cancer.
The doctor will note the size, shape, color, and texture of the area in question, and whether there is bleeding or scaling.
The rest of your body will be checked for spots and moles that may be related to skin cancer.
The doctor will also check nearby lymph nodes.
Skin Biopsy :
The doctor might take a sample of skin from the suspicious area for examination under a microscope.
Different methods can be used for a skin biopsy.
The choice depends on the type of nonmelanoma skin cancer, where it is on the body, and the size of the affected area.
Shave biopsy : After numbing the area with a local anesthetic, the doctor "shaves" off the top layers of the skin with a surgical blade.
Punch biopsy : A punch biopsy removes a deeper sample of skin.
The doctor uses a punch biopsy tool that looks like a tiny round cookie cutter.
Once the skin is numbed with a local anesthetic, the doctor rotates the punch biopsy tool on the surface of the skin until it cuts through all the layers of the skin, including the dermis, epidermis, and the upper parts of the subcutis.
Incisional and excisional biopsies : If the doctor has to examine a tumor involving deeper layers of the skin, he or she will use an incisional or excisional biopsy technique.
A surgical knife is used to cut through the full thickness of skin.
A wedge or ellipse of skin is removed for further examination, and the edges of the wound are sewn together.
Incisional biopsy involves removing only a portion of the tumor.
Removal of the entire tumor is called an excisional biopsy.
Lymph Node Biopsy :
If your doctor feels lymph nodes that are too large and/or too firm, a lymph node biopsy will be done to determine whether cancer has spread from the skin to one or more lymph nodes.
Fine needle aspiration biopsy : A fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy uses a syringe with a thin needle to remove very small tissue fragments from a tumor.
The needle is smaller than the needle used for a blood test.
A local anesthetic is sometimes used to numb the area.
This test rarely causes much discomfort and does not leave a scar.
It is not used for diagnosis of a suspicious skin tumor, but may be used to biopsy large lymph nodes near a skin cancer to find out if the cancer has metastasized (spread).
Surgical lymph node biopsy : If the doctor suspects spread of cancer to a lymph node but the FNA result is negative or is not clear, the lymph node should be removed by a surgeon.
This can be usually be done using local anesthesia in a doctor's office or outpatient surgical center and will leave a small scar.
Diagnosing Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer
Saving Your Skin : Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment of Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers
Who Is At Risk Of Skin Cancer
Paralumun New Age Village