Melanoma diagnosis

At Penn Medicine, our skilled melanoma and skin cancer specialists have experience recognizing the signs of melanoma in its early stages so you can begin treatment right away.

Diagnosing melanoma: The Penn Medicine advantage

Penn Medicine is nationally known for exceptional care. Our program offers:

• Team of melanoma experts: Our highly trained doctors have years of experience in oncology (cancer care), dermatology, pathology (disease diagnosis), surgery, and other fields. We bring together our expertise in weekly team meetings, where we review complex cases from all perspectives.
• Sophisticated testing: We use a variety of biopsy techniques, tumor mutation testing, and other methods as appropriate.
• Individualized treatment: With an accurate diagnosis, we work closely with you to plan effective, customized care. We offer the latest melanoma treatment options, including Mohs surgery, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, many of which can provide a cure.

Initial melanoma evaluation

Whether you come to us with potential symptoms or a confirmed diagnosis, we evaluate your situation thoroughly. We tailor the plan to you, but our cancer specialists begin by:

• Discussing your symptoms and possible risk factors
• Reviewing your personal and family medical history
• Ordering tests to confirm a diagnosis

If we suspect mucosal melanoma in your initial evaluation, we take a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis. If the biopsy finds cancer cells, we may request MRI or CT scans to see whether the cancer has spread.

Diagnosing eye (ocular) melanoma

Ocular melanoma may not show symptoms early on. Your ophthalmologist may discover it during a routine eye exam. Additional tests that you might need include:

• Eye ultrasound: A handheld scanner uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images inside the eye to help diagnose ocular melanoma.
• Biopsy: Your ophthalmologist removes a small sample of tissue from the surface of the eye. Our pathologists examine the sample for signs of melanoma.
• Fluorescein angiography: We first inject dye into your arm. The dye travels to blood vessels in the eye. A specialized camera takes pictures of the retina (back of the eye) to check for any problems.

Second opinions for melanoma

An accurate diagnosis is critical so that you can get the right treatment as soon as possible. At Penn Medicine, our Melanoma and Skin Cancer Care specialists work together to confirm a diagnosis and recommend treatments.