Spotting Melanoma

By WKRG Staff

Published: Wed, May 30, 2007 - 7:05 am

It's another good day to talk about skin cancer as we move closer to the end of Skin Cancer Awareness Month and further into the season for fun in the sun. We all know early detection is important, but do you know how to detect skin cancer-

    Fair skinned Kerri Bowie noticed a spot on her back that just didn't look right.   "It just kinda didn't go away. And you know every time I would rub back there or wash I would know it was there and so it just concerned me."

    She was right to be concerned. That spot was a deadly form of skin cancer called melanoma. Dermatologist Dr. Heather Haley removed the spot. Kerri is cancer free, but is still at risk. That means she needs regular check ups.

     Dr. Haley explains how melanoma is different from other forms of skin cancer. "Melanoma is always a colored or pigmented lesion, so it's brown or dark. Rarely, you can have one that's not colored. Where squamous cell or basal cell is a sore or a pimple that doesn't go away, or a scabby area something that gets people's attention because it's not healing."

     Melanoma is less likely to get your attention. So you may have to really look for it using the ABCD'S of spotting melanoma. "A" is for asymmetry. One side should look just like the other side. "B" is for border. Moles and spots should have a smooth border. "C" is for color. Dr. Haley says, "If one mole is darker than the other ones, that's a worry. And if one mole has multiple colors in it, that's a

worry too."

     "D"is for diameter. You shouldn't find any spots or moles on your body that are larger than the size of a pencil eraser. If you find anything that violates one or more of the ABCD's of searching for melanoma, you need to see a doctor.

       Kerri Bowie says it's not always a big, ugly spot. It can be small, so you really have to pay attention. "You know your body and you know your lesions. Then if it changes at all, you know, have it checked it because it's slight, small, little changes. It's not anything, you know, huge and grotesque like the pictures when it's early."

      For more information on skin cancer, how to find it and how to protect your skin, go to www.skincancer.org

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