アトピー・にきび（ニキビ）・じんましん・湿疹などでお悩みの方に
TOP ＞ Skin cancer
Skin cancer
If you have a mole or bump on your skin, you will want to make sure it is not malignant. In our clinic, we check the tumor by Dermoscopy.
If there is a possibility of skin cancer or precancerous state, we take a part of the tumor, which should be about 3 mm in diameter, after local anesthesia by injection (skin biopsy). If the tumor is very small, we take the whole tumor (excisional biopsy).
Only when we suspect a high possibility of malignant melanoma, we will not take a skin biopsy. Instead we refer you to a well-equipped, reliable hospital because malignant melanoma is very quick to spread to larger areas. We have to perform the biopsy after scheduling the operation afterwards.
Dermoscopy
Dermoscopy allows us to make an earlier diagnosis of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma or precancerous state like basal cell carcinoma , actinic keratosis, or Bowen’s disease.
Using dermoscopy, we can observe deeper levels of the skin, which offers more information to diagnose if it is malignant or not.
Skin biopsy
If there is a possibility of skin cancer or precancerous state, we take a part of the tumor, which should be within 3 mm in diameter, after local anesthesia by injection (skin biopsy). If the tumor is very small, we take the whole tumor (excisional biopsy).
At firstly, we sterilize the area around the tumor. Then we anesthetize the area we cut. It is done by injection. Then we cut a small particle of the skin. We sometimes stitch the skin closed or keep the wound open covered only by an ointment or wound-healing material, depending on the wound.
It will take about 20 minutes.
The day you get the skin biopsy
Please do not drink alcohol.
Don’t exercise a lot.
You can take shower but please avoid moisture on the wound.
The day following the skin biopsy
Usually we ask you to come in to check if the wound is OK.
Normally we permit you to take shower including the wound.
We take the stitches out around one week after the biopsy.
The small particle of the skin will be sliced and observed by microscope. It will be checked by the skin pathologist and us. We will decide the diagnosis and the orientation.
Operation
We do a small operation.
What we do is almost the same as we do for skin biopsy. In this operation the area of the skin we cut will be bigger, so we administer more stitches. That means it takes a longer time, so we usually make a reservation for the operation.
The direction is almost same as skin biopsy. We make a pathological diagnosis.
Skin cancer and UV
The occurrence of skin cancer is now increasing because of the destruction of Ozone layer on the earth. It is important to avoid UV light from the sun. We recommend applying sun screen on the sun-exposed part of the skin when you go outside.
* we offer UVB treatment. In the treatment we use the light which has limited wave length. The UV in the sunlight is broad spectrum and different.
Our clinic has prepared sunscreen for sensitive skin and normal skin. If you find it difficult to choose a suitable sunscreen, please consult with us.)
