Are moles a sign of skin cancer?
Moles are also known as nevus are the spots found on the outermost layer of the kin. These spots are a group or clusters formed out of Melanocytes. Melanocytes are the skin cells that produce melanin pigment which is responsible for the color of the skin. Moles can be found anywhere on the skin like feet, neck, scalp, etc due to the exposure of the skin to the sun. However, A mole could be on your body by birth or it could appear in your childhood.
An individual has somewhere around 10-40 moles on the body. In some cases, moles can be formed till the age of 40. A mole generally is round-shaped and pink or brown in color. It is around 5 millimeters wide. Fair-skinned people tend to have more moles than dark-skinned. However, it does not depend on the race of a person. Anyone can get diagnosed of skin cancer. Generally dark skinned people can have melanoma even in areas not exposed to the sun. You are also exposed to cancer if you have blue or green eyes, blonde or red hair, and extra sensitive skin.
Most moles found in your body are harmless and non - cancerous. Common moles are less likely to turn into melanoma. Although, dysplastic moles have higher chances of turning cancerous. These types of moles are asymmetrical and are a mix of colors. They are also bigger than normal moles.
They are pink in color and are raised above the skin. These moles can turn into melanoma which is a type of skin cancer. This is the most dangerous and common of all types. Melanomas generally look like moles or they are formed out of moles. They can appear in any part of the skin irrespective of their exposure to sunlight. People who are born with unusual mole size or large moles have high chances of suffering through melanoma. In addition to this, having many moles in your body could also be one of the possible reasons. Having more than 50 moles is considered to be unusual.
So, yes moles can be a sign of skin cancer. However, it is hard to differentiate so it better to get checked by a dermatologist. Researchers have found a common ABCDE method to detect if the mole is cancerous or not. The ABCDE method is just a simple way to identify the changes in your moles. The acronym ABCDE stands for :
Asymmetrical:
You could check if a mole is cancerous by drawing a line in the middle of the mole. If the two halves are matched then it is less likely to be cancerous. Melanomas are irregular in shape. The sides of the mole differ and it's difficult to identify the shape.
Border:
The edges of a cancerous mole are non – identical in shape and they are either blurred or different in color.
Color:
common moles are colored black or brown. However, certain moles have shades of grey, red or blue. These moles are not single shaded rather a mix of many colors.
Diameter:
These moles are larger than 6 millimeters or more in diameter and come in any size. These moles also tend to grow drastically. Keep checking your neck, armpits and scalps where most moles are found.
Evolution:
Harmless moles look the same over time. But melanomas go grow and experience frequent unusual changes like color, size, and shape. With time the texture of the mole could be rough and patchy. These moles generally have itchy and burning feelings. A scar can also show changes on your skin.
These are just some ways of being cautious. However, there are other signs that you need to keep in mind. For instance if you see a growth of a new mole suddenly them you should check with your doctor. In addition to this changes in the color of your skin or dark band in your nails could also be one of the possible signs of cancers.
According to statistics, one to three million people are diagnosed with non – melanoma cancer, and 1,32,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma cancer across the world. Skin cancer occurs to millions of people in the United States and is one of the most common types of cancer that people fight with. On the other hand, in India skin cancer prevails because of the increase in pollution, increase in urbanization, and rise in the level of gases from the industries. Men are likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than women.
Melanoma is quite 20 times more common in whites than in African Americans. for whites diagnosing melanoma is around 2.6% (1 in 38), 0.1% (1 in 1,000) for Blacks, and 0.6% (1 in 167) for Hispanics. though men are more likely to catch melanoma than women before so years of=g age women are more likely. The risk of melanoma increases as people age. The average age of individuals when it's diagnosed is 65. Melanoma is also diagnosed amongst people who are younger than 30. In fact, it’s one of the foremost common cancers in young adults (especially young women).
The National Cancer Institute has collected photographs of 29 differing types of moles in order that it can help and other individuals recognize common moles, dysplastic nevi (DN), and melanomas that started from DN. Each case series shows changes in a private pigmented lesion (mole) over time and across the varied mole changes typically seen in individuals from U.S. melanoma-prone families. The initiative is started by National Cancer Institute for people who feel like they have unusual changes in their body.
There are some other reasons due to which the chances of skin cancers increase like Medicines or medical conditions which weaken your immune system may make your skin more sensitive over the curse of time and your chances of diagnosing skin cancer increases. Skin ulcers and childhood scared can also turn into skin cancers. Also if your skin comes into consistent contact of a poison named arsenic which is generally found in well water or pesticides then it becomes risky for your skin.
Melanoma can also be hereditary. If someone in your family suffered in the past then you are likely to catch it. Moles can be a sign of skin cancer if you detect these changes and symptoms on your skin. With the increasing exposure to UV radiation the chances of skin cancer are also rising. Try to avoid the sun from 10am to 4pm because this time the UV rays are the strongest. Wear long sleeves shirts, long pants and hats that cover most of your skin. Apply sunscreen with almost 15SPF to form a layer on your skin. Avoid tanning booths and sun lamps. Protecting yourself from it is advisable. Melanomas generally will not lead to death if they are detected at early stages. In the later stages if the cancer cells reaches distant bones and tissues then it could lead to death of the patient. It is always preferable to keep checking the possible changes before it gets cancerous. You could also possibly educated yourself of the various stages of skin cancer. There is always a cure for skin cancers if treated well in advance.
References:
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/anyone-can-get-skin-cancer.pdf
https://moles-melanoma-tool.cancer.gov/#!/intended-audience
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer/about/key-statistics.html