How does the doctor do a biopsy if melanoma is on the head?My dad has Melanoma on the head...how the hell does the doctor get a biopsy off of it on his head?
Answer by Panda
It will depend on where on the head the melanoma is located and the best way to approach the biopsy . . it may be that they will attempt am excisional biopsy. Am excisional biopsy involves the complete removal of the lesion with a clear margins . . . Once the lesion is removed the pathologist will examine the tumor under a microscope to determine if it is malignant, what grade it is, and see if any cancer cells are in the margins. Or the doctor may for whatever reason elect to do a needle aspiration biopsy and just remove a sample of the suspected cells . . of course there is risk of missing the cancer cells totally with this type of biopsy.
Answer by neetu
If you mean the melanoma of the skin of scalp (head) then it is not difficult to take a biopsy. The scalp is shaved off. When the lesion is clear to see, the doctor will either perform the small biopsy for a diagnosis. Or if diagnosis is already confirmed then he can perform excisional biopsy, that means large resection with all margins negative for tumor by pathology report.
If you mean the metastatic melanoma in the brain (head), it will be difficult. Then surgery will be performed under anesthesia by neurosurgeon and during surgery doctor may ask for a quick diagnosis (frozen section diagnosis). Usually pathologist stain the tissue right away and make the diagnosis while patient is undergoing surgery in the operating room. When the diagnosis is confirmed the doctor may decide his/her further treatment. Usually the treatment of metastatic melanoma in the brain is not a complete excision. The patient may receive radiation therapy etc.
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