PODIATRIST DISCUSSES MALIGNANT MELANOMA

According to Conway McLean, DPM, "Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, although thankfully it is not the most common. The appearance of a skin cancer can and does vary greatly. Certainly, some changes should raise the alarm. For example, when a spot of skin has different colors. Another is the development of varied textures or some prominence. Typically mentioned is one that’s changing or is visibly irregular in contour."

 

Dr. Conway McLean

 

"The clear and obvious next step is a biopsy. Everyone has their favorite technique but, somehow, tissue must be obtained. A punch biopsy, using a sharp-edged tube, is one of the favorites of clinicians and pathologists alike. Tests allow us to identify cancerous cells with great accuracy. A biopsy, the procurement of a specimen from some structure, is a practice considered the standard of care for many decades," says Dr. McLean.

 

Source: Marquette Mining Journal [10/17/23]

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News