How To Know You Have Skin Cancer

Symptoms - Skin cancer (melanoma)

The showtime sign of a melanoma is frequently a new mole or a modify in the appearance of an existing mole.

Normal moles are generally circular or oval, with a smooth edge, and usually no bigger than 6mm in diameter.

But size is non a sure sign of melanoma. A healthy mole can be larger than 6mm in diameter, and a cancerous mole can be smaller than this.

See a GP equally soon equally possible if you observe changes in a mole, freckle or patch of peel, particularly if the changes happen over a few weeks or months.

Signs to look out for include a mole that'south:

getting bigger
irresolute shape
changing colour
bleeding or becoming crusty
itchy or sore

The ABCDE checklist should help yous tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma:

Asymmetrical – melanomas usually accept 2 very different halves and are an irregular shape
Border – melanomas commonly have a notched or ragged border
Colours – melanomas will usually be a mix of two or more than colours
Bore – virtually melanomas are usually larger than 6mm in bore
Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma

Melanoma can announced anywhere on your body, but they well-nigh commonly appear on the back in men and on the legs in women.

It tin can too develop underneath a blast, on the sole of the foot, in the oral fissure or in the genital area, but these types of melanoma are rare.

Melanoma of the heart

In rare cases, melanoma tin can develop in the eye. It develops from paint-producing cells chosen melanocytes.

Eye melanoma usually affects the eyeball. The about common type is uveal or choroidal melanoma, which grows at the dorsum of the heart.

Very rarely, it tin can abound on the thin layer of tissue that covers the forepart of the eye (the conjunctiva) or in the coloured role of the eye (the iris).

Noticing a dark spot or changes in vision can be signs of center melanoma, although information technology's more likely to be diagnosed during a routine center test.

Read more than well-nigh melanoma of the centre on our page nearly eye cancers.

Page last reviewed: 07 Feb 2020
Adjacent review due: 07 February 2023