Diseases and Conditions

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include:

  • Physical exam. Your doctor will ask questions about your health history and examine your skin to look for signs of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
  • Removing a sample of tissue for testing. To confirm a squamous cell carcinoma of the skin diagnosis, your doctor will use a tool to cut away some or all of the suspicious skin lesion (biopsy). What type of skin biopsy you undergo depends on your particular situation. The tissue is sent to a laboratory for examination.