There are several different types of biopsies that may be performed on a mole. Which type is ultimately chosen will be dependent upon several factors, like the reason for the biopsy, the patient involved, the type and size of the mole, where the mole is located on the body, and the patient’s family history.
Instructions
Have a Mole Biopsy
1. Determine if the mole is considered "atypical." Sometimes patients want moles removed for cosmetic or comfort reasons. Other times, they want them biopsied because they believe them to be atypical or in some way suspicious. In some instances, the patient simply doesn't know whether or not the mole could be dangerous and opts to err on the side of caution.Most medical insurance will cover approximately 2 instances of an atypical mole biopsy. Beyond that, it may be dependent upon the patient’s individual history, their family history or a series of other factors. Therefore, it sometimes becomes important for the patient to prove that the mole is atypical. This can only be accomplished by a physician with expertise in that particular area of medicine.
2. Determine which type of biopsy should be performed.If a mole is determined to be atypical, a biopsy is always recommended. However, which type of biopsy procedure should be used can be in question. This can be determined by a physician with expertise in that specific area of medicine. While it is also possible and in some instances even advisable to biopsy typical moles, the remainder of this article deals specifically with atypical type moles.
3. Decide who will perform the biopsy. In some instances, a single physician can handle a mole biopsy. In other situations an entire team of specialists may need to be brought on board. In the event of melanoma, the team or some part of it, may get involved in total removal of skin within the area of the mole. This is done in order to make certain that the cancer does not spread further. It is also often critical in situations where the cancer has already spread.
4. Submit to a dermascopy test before a biopsy, if recommended. In some instances where the physician is uncertain that the mole in question is genuinely atypical, he or she may request a test called a dermascopy. The test is simple and painless, involving special equipment that acts very much like a magnifying glass. Sometimes, physicians are able to rule out atypical moles using this methodology, thereby negating the need for a full biopsy.
5. In some instances the patient may be allowed to choose the form of biopsy used, but in most cases that decision must be made by the physician. There are several different biopsy choices. Which one is decided upon will depend on a number of different factors. Such factors include the patient’s individual medical history, the type, size, shape and color of the mole, where the mole is located on the body, and any other unusual conditions, concerns or situations made known at the time of the biopsy.
6. Proceed with the chosen form of biopsy which will likely include one of the following. An excision biopsy is generally chosen whenever a mole is suspected of being cancerous. In this procedure the mole is removed from the skin under local anesthetic. Following the procedure, the skin may either be sutured or cauterized to close the wound. Laser biopsies are often reserved for moles that involve entanglement with blood vessels. It is a safer and cleaner procedure in that instance than simple excision. It, too, can be done under local anesthetic. However, in severe situations, it can require that the patient be put to sleep in order to ensure no movement during the procedure.A punch biopsy may also be done under local anesthetic. In this process a small amount of the skin around the mole is also automatically cut out. The wound is generally closed with stitches.Shave biopsies are generally reserved for atypical moles that stand away from the skin's surface. They, too, are done with local anesthesia. The procedure is called a "shave" biopsy because the mole is simply removed above the skin area rather than by cutting into the skin below the mole's protrusion. The process may be done either my scalpel or by electrolysis. However, this type of biopsy is not recommended when skin cancer is suspected because it does not remove the skin area below the protrusion.
7. Wait for the mole, or parts of or around it, to go to the lab for testing. If results return indicating suspicious skin cells or definitive cancer, one of two things may occur. The physician(s) may go ahead and do further skin excision, cutting away layer by layer of skin around the mole area until the returning lab samples come back clean. In the event that skin and tissue removal becomes too deep or too broad, or the area in question is located in a sensitive area of the body, the physician may close the wound and refer the patient to another physician specialist for further examination and possible additional surgery and/or treatment.
8. Submit the mole and or skin and tissue for additional lab testing.Since the initial biopsy results are sometimes deceiving, additional lab tests may be required. If anything unusual shows up, the physician may outline additional treatment or surgery needs. This could include an extended surgical process referred to as a "wide local excision." It essentially requires that more skin and tissue be cut away from the area where the mole existed until the remaining skin and tissue is found to be cancer free. This may be done either under local or general anesthetic, depending on the patient, the area of the body and a number of other factors. The wound is ultimately closed by stitches, unless the skin area is excessively large. In such situations, it may be necessary for the patient to have skin grafted onto the wound from another area of their body.
Tags: some instances, skin tissue, under local, local anesthetic, skin area, type biopsy, under local anesthetic
