Are there any tests to detect skin cancer?

other than the mole changing its orignal appearance, are there any other tests to detect skin cancer? which one at the doctors and which ones from home (if there are any from home)?

Are there any tests to detect skin cancer?
Nonmelanoma skin cancer is detected and diagnosed by:





- Your medical history. Your health professional will ask when the skin change occurred, whether you have been exposed to substances (such as arsenic) that can cause skin cancer, and whether you have any personal or family history of skin cancer.





- A physical examination of the skin growth. Your health professional can often tell what a skin growth is by looking at it. After examination, he or she may decide to monitor any change in the skin growth or take a sample of the skin growth for further testing.





- A skin biopsy. This is usually done when an area of skin has changed color, shape, size, or appearance or has not healed and skin cancer is suspected. A skin biopsy also may be done if the cause of a skin problem is not easily identified.





Early Detection


Take steps to detect skin cancer early:





- Examine your skin once a month, and ask your health professional to look at any suspicious skin growths.





- Talk to your health professional about your own personal risk for skin cancer so that you understand the precautions that you need to take.





- Have your health professional look for any suspicious skin growths during any health examination.
Reply:the better person to ask is a dermatoligist
Reply:shape,size,color,if it scabs could be basil cell carcinoma, if it is red all the time. You really need to let them take a sample of it and send it off to be sure.


Better Safe Than Sorry! Good Luck and I pray it's alright!
Reply:just go to you family docot or and get them to look at it... more than likely he/she will remove it right in the office and have it sent out... I had a mole I worried to death over for 4 years... I was losing my mind! NO REALLY... until I couldn't take another minute of it... I though this is skin cancer I'm going to die I need to know how long I have... I went to my doctor in tears...scared is not the word.. he looked concerned to and said it needed to be removed and biopsied at once.... a week of waiting, 2 stiches...and I GOT MY LIFE BACK... it was not cancer Thank the lord... so please just go to your doctor chances are it's really nothing
Reply:No tests from the home that would be any more accurate than flipping a coin. A dermatologist can do a biopsy if he suspects skin cancer. This tissue sample is then read by a pathologist who will then say whether or not the tissue is benign or malignant. Then the report will tell you what type skin cancer, what type cells, and whether or not the cancer was deeper than the bit of tissue removed by the dermatologist. This determines whether you need additional treatment and the extent of this treatment.





If the the condition is benign they also report whether you have warts, or whatever else going on.





http://www.skincancer.org/