Diagnosis - Eyelid Cancer

Doctors use many tests to diagnose cancer and determine if it has metastasized (spread). Some tests may also determine which treatment may be the most effective. Your doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

Age and medical condition

The type of cancer and its risk for metastasis

Severity of symptoms

Previous test results

The following tests may be used to diagnose eyelid cancer:

Biopsy. Because basal cell and squamous cell cancers rarely spread to distant parts of the body, a biopsy is often the only test needed to determine the extent of cancer. A biopsy removes a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. The type of biopsy performed will depend on the location of the cancer. During this procedure, performed under local or general anesthetic, the doctor removes the suspicious tissue using techniques that test the thickness of the cancer and its margins (healthy tissue around the lesion). The tissue sample is sent to a pathologist (a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease) who determines if the sample contains cancer and, if so, which type. The amount of normal tissue removed around the cancer depends on its thickness. Further treatment beyond the biopsy may not be necessary if the entire growth is removed. If cancer is present at the edges of the tissue taken for the biopsy, additional treatment (for example, surgery, radiation therapy, or cryotherapy) will usually be necessary.

Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan. A CT scan creates a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body with an x-ray machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed, cross-sectional view that shows any abnormalities or tumors. Sometimes, a contrast medium (a special dye) is injected into a patient's vein to provide better detail.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body.

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan. In a PET scan, radioactive sugar molecules are injected into the body. Cancer cells absorb sugar more quickly than normal cells, so they light up on the PET scan. PET scans are often used to complement information gathered from CT scan, MRI, and physical examination.

Ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the internal organs. This may be useful to determine if cancer has spread.

A doctor will determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer's progress in order to plan treatment. The stage depends on how thick or large the tumor is and whether there is evidence that the cancer may have spread. On rare occasions, a patient's lymph nodes may be removed to determine if the cancer has metastasized. The doctor may perform other tests, including a blood sample, MRI, and diagnostic scans of the liver, bones, and brain.