When to have your skin examined for skin cancer?
Referral in case of Symptoms
Anyone can develop irregular skin pigmentations. We have observed that skin with frequent sun exposure or sunburn is more susceptible to skin cancer. Symptoms that may indicate skin cancer and warrant a visit to your general practitioner include:
- Moles that are itchy or bleeding
- Moles that grew in size or thickness
- Moles with irregular borders or edges
- Moles with an unusual shape
- Sudden new discolorations or moles
- Moles or lesions that are over 6 millimeters in size
- Moles within other moles.
Your general practitioner will determine if you need a referral for a skin examination. Your dermatologist can also refer you to our Center. We use unique diagnostic equipment, the Vectra WB360, to capture high-quality 3D images of the skin. This is crucial for an accurate diagnosis.
Our friendly health care professionals work together on early diagnostics and scientific research. You may run into them at our Center.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer worldwide among people with a lighter skin type. It is a collective term for various types of skin cancers. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. Melanoma can develop on healthy skin or from an existing mole. Melanoma can appear anywhere on the skin, including the scalp or the foot soles.
A skin pigmentation or mole with one or more of the following characteristics could be melanoma:
- Irregular edges: no smooth, clean border
- Odd shape, not symmetrical or round
- A mix of different colors (dark and light)
- Larger than 6 millimeters
- The pigmentation appeared suddenly, or an existing mole starts to change, itch, or grow
Unfortunately yes. If melanoma is discovered after it has already spread to other parts of the body, it can be fatal. However, if it is detected early, the chances of recovery are very high.
It can be. If melanoma occurs in your immediate family, you may want to have your moles checked thoroughly every year. We may recommend remaining under our Center’s care after your skin examination.
Definitely not. There are many types of skin cancer. Only about 12% of all skin cancers are melanomas.
No, skin examinations are not painful. At the NKI Center for Early Diagnostics, we use the latest equipment, the Vectra WB360. You will have to stand in front of the camera, and the device takes 92 3D images of your entire body. You will receive more clarity quickly based on these images and additional skin examinations by the dermatologist. Is melanoma present? We may want to remove a mole (under anesthesia) for further investigation.
Certainly, you can go elsewhere for skin examinations. However, we have the Vectra WB360: this allows us to take high-resolution 3D photos of the entire body within seconds. Globally, we are one of the few research centers using this state-of-the-art equipment. The technology increases the accuracy of examinations and follow-up assessments.
We are often able to determine the presence of melanoma based on 3D imaging. If we decide to remove a mole or take a small tissue sample during the examination, it will be analyzed by a pathologist. The results of this analysis usually follow within one week.
