The diagnosis phase can be difficult and overwhelming. During this phase, further testing will be necessary to confirm a diagnosis and determine the best course of treatment. Patients can expect their doctor to have a discussion with them about the risks, benefits, and alternatives to each of the following approaches.
Physical Exam
Because the lips are easy to examine, doctors may rely on a physical examination to establish an initial suspected diagnosis of lip cancer. More tests will follow, as described below.
Biopsy
A biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue to examine under a microscope to see if it is cancerous. In order to have a definitive diagnosis of cancer, a doctor will need to perform a biopsy of the suspicious lesion on the lip. Lip tumors are often able to be biopsied easily at the doctor’s office. There are a few different ways to perform this biopsy, but the most common and easiest approach for lip cancer is an incisional biopsy or a “punch” biopsy.
Imaging
Imaging scans provide the doctor with an inside view of the body. In some situations, imaging of the head and neck may be required prior to treatment of lip cancer. The most common imaging tests used are CT and MRI scans.
For lip cancers, these scans are most commonly used to look for enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. These scans may also be important in detecting invasion of surrounding structures, such as the jaw bone. Occasionally, a more advanced imaging study called PET/CT will be needed.
