Tests for skin cancer
This page tells you about tests that you may have for non melanoma skin cancer. There is information about
Tests for skin cancer
If you have a suspicious area of skin that you think might be a cancer, you will need to go to your GP. If there is any reason to think you have a skin cancer, you will need to have the area tested.
Biopsies to test for skin cancer
The only way to definitely tell if you have a skin cancer or not is to take a sample of the skin and examine it under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. Usually this will be done under a local anaesthetic.
If you have a small skin cancer, you may have the biopsy done at your GP’s. If not, your GP will refer you to a dermatologist. This is a doctor who specialises in skin conditions.
There can be quite a long wait to see a dermatologist. This can be very worrying if you are concerned that you may have cancer. But non melanoma skin cancer takes years to develop in most cases. Waiting a few weeks isn’t likely to do any harm.
When you have your biopsy, you will have an injection of local anaesthetic. The doctor will then cut out a sample of skin tissue and send it off to the laboratory so that it can be examined under a microscope.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Diagnosing skin cancer section.
If you have a suspicious area of skin that you think might be a cancer, you will need to go to your GP. Your doctor will examine you and listen to what you have to say about it. If there is any reason to think you have a skin cancer, you will need to have the area tested. Your GP will refer you to a team of specialists either the Local Hospital Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (LSCMDT) or the Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (SSCMDT). Whichever team your GP refers you to will have had specialist training in skin cancer. You can find out more about who you will see in the section about who should see a specialist.
The only way to definitely tell if you have a skin cancer or not is to take a sample of the skin and examine it under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. Usually this will be done under a local anaesthetic. But this will depend on where the possible cancer is and how large it is.
If you have a small skin cancer, and if your GP surgery has a minor operations unit, you may have the biopsy done at your GP’s. If not, your GP will refer you to a dermatologist. This is a doctor who specialises in skin conditions. If the suspicious area is somewhere obvious, such as on your face or hands, your GP may prefer to refer you to a specialist clinic anyway.
Skin specialists would think it important to see anyone with suspected skin cancer anyway. It is important that the history of your skin problem, its appearance and the result of any biopsy are all linked together to try and be as sure as possible that the right diagnosis is made.
There can be a wait of a few weeks to see a dermatologist. This can be very worrying if you are concerned that you may have cancer. But non melanoma skin cancer takes years to develop in most cases. Waiting a few weeks isn’t likely to do any harm. If you are concerned about the wait, talk to your GP - particularly if it has taken you a long time to get round to going to the doctors in the first place.
When you go to have your biopsy, you will be asked to lie down on a couch. First you will have an injection of local anaesthetic into the area to be biopsied. The doctor will then cut out a sample of skin tissue and send it off to the laboratory so that it can be examined under a microscope.
There are 3 main types of biopsy that you can have
- Incisional or excisional biopsy
- Punch biopsy
- Shave biopsy
Incisional biopsy means using a surgical knife to remove a small piece of the suspicious area. You have a piece of the full thickness of the skin removed. Excisional biopsy is the same, but you have the whole of the suspicious area removed. After these types of biopsies, you will need to have some stitches put in to sew up the area where the skin has been cut out. The stitches will stay in for about a week. You may be asked to go back to have them removed. If the doctor has used soluble stitches, you won't need to go back to have them removed as they should dissolve on their own.
A punch biopsy means removing a deeper tissue sample. You have a small circle of the full thickness of the skin removed.
A shave biopsy means shaving off the top layer of skin under local anaesthetic.
You may also have a fine needle aspiration (FNA) or a core needle biopsy, also known as a Tru-Cut biopsy.
You will not get the results of your biopsy straight away. Usually you will get the biopsy result when you go back to see your GP or dermatologist. This will be about 2 to 3 weeks after the biopsy was done.
If the skin sample contained any cancerous cells, you may have to have more tests. If the whole suspicious area was removed, it will be closely checked in the lab to make sure a margin of healthy skin tissue has been removed around it. This is to make sure that all the suspicious cells have been removed. If any are left behind, the cancer can continue to grow and spread into surrounding skin tissue.
In order to safely remove a cancer, there should be a border of healthy tissue removed around it. This is often called a 'healthy margin'. If a cancer is found, you will probably need to have more surgery to make sure that this has been done and that all the cancer has been removed.
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