Examine those moles for changes
DARK-skinned people, because of the additional melanin (pigment) in the skin, are less susceptible to skin cancer, but once developed the chances of survival become lower largely as a result of delays in diagnosis and treatment.
But oftentimes people aren’t cognisant of the places to look for strange cancer causing moles, or what to look for. According to consultant general surgeon Dr Varunesh Chand, improved public awareness is required as even today many Jamaicans are unclear about the circumstances relating to the death of Bob Marley, where there was an unfortunate delay in diagnosis and inadequate treatment of melanoma that developed under the toenail.
Dr Chand said in our population, melanoma most often develops on non sun-exposed skin. These include the palm, feet, under the nails, between the toes, the scalp, behind the ears and the mucous membranes of the mouth, nasal passages, between the buttocks or genitals.
The consultant general surgeon said the ABCDE properties are a useful guide to features in a mole which may warrant an urgent visit to a dermatologist, plastic or general surgeon.
The properties are as follows:
A- Asymmetry: one half unlike the other half.
B- Border: an irregular or poorly defined border.
C- Colour: is varied from one area to another
D- Diameter: The mole is larger than six millimetres, about the width of a pencil eraser
E- Evolving: the mole is changing in size, shape or colour.
Dr Chand said other warning signs are a sore that does not heal; spread of pigment from the border of a mole to surrounding skin; redness or a new swelling beyond the border; change in sensation, which involves itchiness, tenderness or pain; and change in the surface of a mole — scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a bump or nodule.
Skin specialist Dr Neil Persadsingh corroborated the abovementioned signs and said if the symptoms present themselves in individuals they should never ignore them. He explained that the dermatologist would inspect the moles using a dermatoscope, which can be used to distinguish between benign moles and melanomas.
Dr Persadsingh said if the mole is found to be cancerous the dermatologist will remove the mole by cutting it out of the skin.
Dr Chand said it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between melanoma and an ordinary mole, so if you are unsure of the appearance or if it is in a location that is difficult to see, show it to your doctor.
