Accurate Diagnosis Matters

Skin Cancer Navigation

The narrative and personal story within the video reinforce the value of an early, specialist diagnosis, for all skin cancers.

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Good skin cancer treatment comes from accurate diagnosis, based on experience and the use of modern science. Apart from offering a well equipped laboratory, we ensure you see the leading specialists in London.

Our consultants diagnostic expertise is well recognised. Dr Stevens is a lecturer to the medical profession on non invasive imaging techniques of the skin, such as dermoscopy and confocal microscopy.

At a microscopic level, your outer skin is rough and scatters light, making precise imaging difficult, dermascopes are designed to overcome this. Confocal microscopes also eliminate out of focus light, along with increasing image resolution and contrast.

Used individually, or together, in expert hands these techniques lead the field in diagnosing pigmented and non pigmented skin lesions. Unnecessary biopsies are avoided and diagnostic accuracy is enhanced.

Time is of the essence with any cancer treatment. Whether issues are early stage, or more advanced, treatment needs can be lessened by early diagnosis and the likelihood of serious surgery is reduced.

In Depth Consultation

A consultant from our skin cancer team will examine you and talk with you. Knowing how you feel and more about the history of your problem are part of diagnosis.

Your examination can tell a specialist much of what they will need to know. The depth, type and size of lesions, or melanomas can be established using the procedures mentioned above, dermoscopy and confocal microscopy.

In a few cases, a biopsy may be required, to be analysed in our lab. Confocal microscopy is however the digital equivalent, able to literally look beneath your skin.

Benign lesions can be isolated, avoiding the need for biopsy. Cancer signs, early stage, or more significant can be identified and treatment begin. In the unusual event that your consultation raises unanswered questions, they do not remain so.

Further Investigation

The ability to discuss cases within a multidisciplinary team should not be undervalued. No one person can know everything, the combined skills of several high end consultants count.

Other diagnostic equipment might offer the best insight for a particular case, or the data and images this produces. Changes over time which are not visible to the naked eye can be identified by a digital eye.

The electrical properties of your skin offer clues, they change when skin cancer, particularly melanoma is present. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) can be used to analyse differences, via a painless, hand held probe.

The latest technology is useful, computer software can also aid diagnosis, although expert analysis remains the best solution. Skin cancer diagnosis is about more than a lesion, the person and their wishes matter.

Needs can arise during diagnosis for forward thinking, whether successful treatment could bring side issues. Perhaps plastic surgeons, urologists, or gynaecologists need to be consulted, we ensure they are involved.

The Best Outcome

The reason for our in depth approach is because skin cancer diagnosis at our London clinics is not a closed step. Diagnosis can be part of ongoing procedures and in any event, is the cornerstone of successful treatment.

You are welcome to see independent research on the detection of skin cancer and the best approach for individual patients. This includes views on the latest techniques, how they should be applied.

A confirmed, clear diagnosis leads to the right outcomes. All the skills on board should simply be there to help patients return to a normal life, free from worry.

Skin cancer treatment is now well developed, even for advanced cases, with accurate assessment. Early diagnosis is still important, for further information, or to discuss your needs, please get in touch.