Biopsy strategies for suspicious skin lesions

When a skin lesion is suspicious, the biopsy technique is not simply a procedural decision. It can determine whether the pathology report provides the information needed to make a confident diagnosis and guide management.

As Dr Jonny Levy explains in this webinar, “the biopsy sets the ceiling”: pathology can only assess the tissue that is submitted. The challenge is therefore to match the specimen to the clinical question, while considering the lesion’s characteristics, location, size, and whether complete excision is feasible.

This is particularly important when melanoma is part of the differential. Choosing between excision, punch, deep shave or saucerisation, or targeted sampling of a larger lesion requires careful consideration of what the pathologist needs to assess, including the lesion’s architecture and depth.

The video explores practical approaches to biopsy selection, situations where partial sampling may be appropriate, and common pitfalls that can make histology difficult to interpret. It also highlights an important step that can be overlooked: correlating the pathology result with the clinical and dermoscopic picture. If the result does not fit the lesion or the original clinical concern, further review may be warranted.

Suitable for doctors with some experience in skin cancer surgery, this session is part of our free monthly education series for alumni, current course participants, and practitioners interested in skin cancer. The session is designed to help you apply your learning in real-world clinical practice, with case discussions and Q&A.

Watch the full webinar

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This webinar is also available to watch on the HealthCert YouTube channel.

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