A doctor has revealed a straightforward alphabet-based checklist that could 'save your life.' This method is used to identify any indicators of melanoma skin cancer.
According to figures from Cancer Research UK, melanoma skin cancer ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer in the UK. Approximately 19,400 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually.
What makes melanoma skin cancer particularly lethal is its ability to spread to other organs in the body. Its primary cause is ultraviolet light, which originates from the sun and is used in sunbeds.
As with any illness, the earlier you identify any potential symptoms, the quicker you can access the treatment you require. With this in mind, Doctor Amir Khan offered further insight.
Speaking on his podcast No Appointment Necessary with co-host Cherry Healey, Dr Amir discussed something called the ABCDE criteria. This should be applied when examining any moles on your body, as it could reveal whether they are cancerous or not.
Dr Amir explained: 'So we use a criteria called the ABCDE criteria when we're looking at moles.'
Each letter in the sequence represents a word that characterises a potentially harmful mole.
Asymmetrical
If the mole isn't the same on either side, it can be 'worrying.' Dr Amir said: 'So is it asymmetrical? If it is, that's slightly more worrying. If it's symmetrical, less worrying.'
Border
You should be wary if the border of your mole is 'irregular.' He said: 'So is the border of your mole regular? If it's regular, nice and smooth, less worrying. If it's irregular, more worrying.'
Colour
If the mole is made up of different colours, it is worth getting it checked. 'So is the colour uniform all the way through - less worrying,' he said. 'If it changes colour in parts of it, more worrying.'
Diameter
He continued: 'If it's less than half a centimetre, less worrying. If it's more than half a centimetre, more worrying.'
Evolving
If your mole is evolving over time, it could be dangerous. Dr Amir said: 'So has it changed, has it grown, has it become itchy, has it bled, has it evolved over time? That is more worrying.'
When to see a doctor
Dr Amir added: 'Generally, if there's two or more of those things going on in that ABCDE, I would send that person to a dermatologist to have it looked at.'
His ABCDE checklist is also promoted by Cancer Research UK on the charity's website. However, it warned that if you have brown or black skin, a melanoma might be more difficult to spot and might not show any of the ABCD signs.
