Procedures and Treatments

Diagnosis

You will receive a comprehensive examination that includes visual inspection by a physician specializing in the diagnosis of melanoma. Evaluation may also include digital imaging, and/or Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, which produce three-dimensional images of functional processes within the body to determine whether - or to what extent - cancer has spread.

Our providers also offer sentinel lymph node biopsy, a technique pioneered here at Fletcher Allen. A sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to which cancer cells are likely to spread from a primary tumor. Cancer cells may appear in the sentinel node before spreading to other lymph nodes. A sentinel lymph node biopsy can be used to help determine the extent or stage of cancer.

Team Approach

Following diagnosis, patients meet and get feedback from all members of their treatment team - in one day, in one place. The team typically consists of a surgical oncologist, a medical oncologist, a dermatologist and a pathologist. Patients may meet with one, several or all of these specialists, depending on their situation. Nurses and support staff provide an extra measures of knowledge, training and compassion. Psychologists work closely with patients and their families to help them cope with the diagnosis, treatment, and aftermath.

Patients leave here after their visit knowing that the team members are talking to each other to come up with a treatment plan. This is a significant benefit in terms of outcomes and a tremendous source of comfort to our patients.