Thank you for the question. There are different types of skin cancer. They can be divided into 2 groups - 1) Melanoma and 2) Non-melanoma skin cancers.
1. Melanoma or cancer of the mole is the most serious of the skin cancers as it has a potential to spread and metastasize and early diagnosis and treatment is crucial for a good prognosis and survival outcome. We suspect a that a mole is cancerous if
- A - Aysmmetrical - the shape is asymmetrical
- B - Borders are irregular, bleeds
- C - Colour is variegate ie some areas are darker than others
- D - Diameter is greater that 6mm
- E - Evolution - there is a rapid growth or increase in the size and thickness of the moles.
If theses signs are present, you should see your doctor or dermatologist to ensure rule out a melanoma.
2. Non melanoma skin cancer. The common non melanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. They usually present with a growth that is persistent and slowly enlarging. They are more often in the sun exposed areas, but can also occur on non sun exposed areas. They may sometimes bleed and ulcerate. These growths are often painless.
So if you have a persistent enlarging growth on the skin, do consider seeing your doctor or dermatologist to get it checked out.
