According to the American Cancer Society, more than 76,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year (that’s one person every eight minutes), and almost 9,500 – or one person an hour – will die. What’s even scarier? People under 30 are the fastest-growing group to be diagnosed with melanoma. Do not forget to pass the sunscreen, please!
Sunscreen aside, it’s important that we can recognize the signs of a possible melanoma, or a cancerous mole, on our own bodies or the body of a loved one. Luckily, there’s an easy-to-remember cheat sheet: just know your ABCDEs. The sooner it’s taken care of, the better.
• A is for Asymmetrical Shape: A perfect circle is probably nothing to worry about, while an asymmetrical or irregular shape may be cause for concern. You should be able to draw a line down the middle of it and both sides should be the same.
• B is for Border: Non-cancerous moles usually have smooth, even borders, while melanoma lesions may have jagged, irregular borders – like the coast of Italy.
• C is for Color: Melanoma lesions can have more than one color – black, grey and pink – or they may have no pigment at all and just look like a raised, red bump. Regular moles, on the other hand, should be just plain grey or brown.
• D is for Diameter: Anything greater than 6 millimeters in diameter – about the size of a pencil eraser – is worth a second look.
• E is for Evolution: If a mole itches, burns, starts growing or becomes a different color, get it checked out immediately. Moles aren’t supposed to change; they’re just supposed to hang out there. It’s up to you to know what’s normal for your own skin and to alert a doctor if something new or different suddenly appears.
> Dr. Colina works at Bellaire Int’l Healthcare, Suite 601, Times Square, 28 Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 广州市天河区天河北路28号时代广场601室 (020-2899 3911, 3891 0511 for English, Japanese and Chinese)
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