Moles with these signs should be examined for cancer

Unusual moles can be a sign of a tumor or skin cancer - Illustration photo

Master Vu Nguyen Binh, Department of Plastic Surgery and Rehabilitation (Central Dermatology Hospital), said that moles are small, dark spots (black or brown), round or oval in shape, appearing singly or in groups of many spots next to each other on the skin.

Each person has an average of 10 - 40 moles on their body. Most moles are benign, but there is also a risk of malignancy, "malignant" due to being located in areas of friction on the body or exposed to sunlight and chemicals.

Moles located in areas of friction such as shirt straps, waistbands, and necks are at high risk of becoming deformed due to frequent friction, even causing bleeding. In particular, melanoma is most common in lesions located on the palms and soles of the feet.

People who are frequently exposed to sunlight, especially strong sunlight, have an increased risk of developing the disease, and this risk also increases with age. In addition, people exposed to toxic chemicals, arsenic poisoning. Moles in areas of friction: palms, soles, waistbands, shirt straps...

People with a family history of melanoma have a higher risk of developing cancerous moles.

Signs of malignant moles

Doctor Binh pointed out that there are 5 signs to identify moles that are at risk of malignancy, according to the "ABCDE" principle:

A (asymmetry) - Asymmetrical moles : Normally, moles are round and oval, with two sides symmetrical, but with moles at risk of malignancy, the two sides are not symmetrical.

B (border) - Irregular lesion borders : Benign moles have soft, rounded borders, but malignant moles have borders that are map-shaped, zigzag, and irregular.

C (color) - Color is not uniform : Instead of being just brown or black, moles at risk of malignancy have dark, light, black, brown or depigmented areas.

D (diameter) - Large size : A normal mole is usually less than 6mm in diameter (about as big as the eraser tip of a pencil). Moles with a diameter of more than 6mm are considered to have risk factors.

E (enlarging) - Abnormal growth : The size of a normal mole increases slowly, sometimes taking 10 years to increase a few mm, and finally stopping growing. For moles with a risk of malignancy, the time to change from small to large size is very short, possibly only a few months.

"When you discover unusual moles on your skin, especially in areas that are often exposed to sunlight or areas that are easily rubbed (palms, soles of the feet), you should proactively go see a dermatologist. Unusual moles can be a sign of a tumor or skin cancer," Dr. Binh emphasized.

You should also practice checking at home, you can ask a relative to check or use a mirror. Use a small mirror or stand in front of a large mirror to see the moles on your skin more closely and clearly.

How to prevent skin cancer?

Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, Central Dermatology Hospital, said that skin cancer can be treated with one or more of the following methods:

- Surgery : Skin cancer is often treated with surgery to remove the cancer widely. For some types of cancer, in addition to removing the lesion, it will be necessary to combine it with removing nearby lymph nodes to prevent metastasis.

- Radiotherapy : Using radiation to destroy cancer cells.

- Chemotherapy : Using cytotoxic chemicals to treat skin cancer in cases where the tumor has spread and metastasized.

Skin cancer can be prevented by avoiding mid-day sun (10am to 4pm); Using sunscreen and reapplying it often; Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirts or pants; Not using tanning beds; Treating chronic skin conditions, chronic ulcers.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/not-ruoi-co-nhung-dau-hieu-nay-nen-di-kham-ung-thu-2024092020105958.htm