On-Site Laboratory Specialist

What are the tests for skin cancer?

When your provider at the office of Ali Hendi, MD, suspects skin cancer, they take a biopsy. A biopsy removes a small sample of the growth. To do this, your practitioner numbs the area and then takes a small tissue sample with a surgical instrument. The entire process is over within minutes.

Your tissue sample then goes to an on-site laboratory for examination, where the doctor examines the sample under a microscope to look for precancerous changes or skin cancer cells. Your provider gets your results back quickly and reviews them with you to recommend the appropriate treatment.

What are the benefits of an on-site laboratory?

The key benefits of an on-site laboratory are convenience and speed. You don’t need to take time out of your busy day to drive to a separate facility for lab work. Instead, lab tests and analyses are performed on-site, saving you an additional trip for lab tests.

Additionally, when you’re waiting for a skin cancer diagnosis, the on-site laboratory at the office of Ali Hendi, MD, provides you with results faster. Fast results help to ensure your cancer is treated quickly, before it has a chance to advance.

How is the on-site laboratory used during Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is an outpatient procedure that has a 99% cure rate for basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer. The surgery requires specialized training and expertise from a Mohs surgeon like Dr. Hendi. He has performed more than 14,000 Mohs surgeries. Mohs surgery also requires an on-site laboratory.

The surgical process involves removing a thin sliver of skin cancer, then examining the tissue sample under a microscope in the on-site laboratory.

Dr. Hendi typically needs to repeat these steps around 2-3 times to eliminate all of the skin cancer cells. The process may take several hours. Although removing slivers of tissue takes only 10-15 minutes, Dr. Hendi needs 1-2 hours to prepare and examine each layer under a microscope. Thankfully, the on-site laboratory makes the surgery process much more efficient.

For comprehensive skin cancer diagnosis and treatment with the convenience of an on-site lab, call the office of Ali Hendi, MD today.