Are you a victim of Melanoma May?
Ingrown toenails, warts, bruises, moles….what do they have in common? On the feet, skin cancer can resemble a variety of common foot problems. In humans, skin cancer is actually the most common form of cancer. The 3 main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Even though, melanoma is the rarer of the three, 75% of all skin cancer deaths result from malignant melanoma.
Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body, including the feet and legs. Sometimes there is a history of recurrent bleeding, cracking or ulceration but many times they are painless. On the feet, melanoma is known as the great masquerader because it can resemble benign moles, blood blisters, ingrown toenails, plantar warts, bruises or foreign bodies.
This skin cancer many times begins as a small brown-black spot or bump but in 1/3 of the cases will lack brown pigment and may appear pink or red. A common misconception is that melanoma occur only in fair skinned freckled, light haired people. Although dark skinned people are less likely to get skin cancer they are susceptible to Acral Lentiginous Melanoma on the soles of their feet.
Simple tips to avoid skin cancer include:
May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month. Once you suspect that you have a skin cancer on your feet call your podiatrist for an appointment immediately. A simple skin biopsy can save your life.
Dr. Olga Garcia Luepschen and the Gentle Foot Care Center are located on US 27. For more information visit www.gentlefootcarecenter.com or call 863-314-9255.