What is the recommended method to assess skin lesions for skin cancer if they have been there for years and changed?

Visit your doctor : Most often a dermatologist, but many family doctors are well versed in skin lesions. Any change should be checked out, and if appropriate a biopsy should be done.

Biopsy: Shave punch or excisional biopsy.

ABCD's: Remember your abcd's when thinking of melanoma. Look for moles with asymmetry boarders that are irregular color differences within the same mole diameter greater than 6mm also any new mole or old that starts to itch, bleed or ulcerate should be of concern. Another rule is the ugly duckling rule. Which refers to a mole that looks distantly different from the others on your body.