Every diagnosis starts with an examination of the spot or mole, and all the other moles. The doctor will also feel the nearby lymph nodes and ask about your history, and your family’s history of melanoma.

In Australia, the majority of patients who develop melanoma are diagnosed with thin (early) tumours. This is due to the high level of public awareness about melanoma. Thin melanomas with a Breslow thickness less than 1mm are at low risk of the tumour spreading to other parts of the body (metastasis) and extensive investigation is not necessary.

If your doctor suspects a spot may be a melanoma, it is removed for testing in a laboratory. This is called a biopsy.  This is a quick and simple procedure. A biopsy may be done by your GP, or you may be referred to a dermatologist or surgeon.

A relatively small number of melanoma patients will have to undergo further tests to help identify any evidence of tumour spread to lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body. These include:

• Patients whose biopsy histology identified thicker tumours (great than 1mm) or demonstrated features associated with increased risk of spread, such as tumour ulceration, high mitotic rate or extensive histologic regression.
    
• Patients who are found to have abnormal findings after a physical examination. This might include enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit, groin or neck regions.
   
• Patients who describe symptoms which might suggest the tumour has spread.
    

Relevant investigations can include: