- A - asymmetry
- B - borders
- C - color
- D - diameter
- Other symptoms of skin cancer
- How to confirm the diagnosis
Knowing how to identify melanoma early on the skin is the best way to guarantee the success of the treatment, as it can prevent skin cancer from developing and manage to create metastases that are difficult to eliminate, even with treatment.
So, even if you take care of the sun on a daily basis, such as applying sunscreen or avoiding the hottest hours, it is very important to evaluate the skin, at least once a month, even in the scalp region, to identify if there are new or different signs, they could be a sign of cancer.
One of the best ways to assess whether a sign may be a melanoma, is by observing its characteristics, through a rule known as ABCD. If the stain has more than two of these characteristics, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist.
A - asymmetry
Generally, the signs most likely to be malignant are asymmetric, so if an imaginary line is drawn in the middle of the sign, the two parts are not alike.
Most signs have symmetry and are therefore not an alarm signal, but it is important to know that there are also benign and asymmetric signs, so if the sign is asymmetrical, it should be evaluated by a dermatologist just to ensure that it is not malignant.
B - borders
A sign with smooth, regular edges is usually benign and poses no health hazard. Already the signs with irregular borders and little marked can be a sign of cancer in the skin.
C - color
The normal signs and without risk of cancer, usually have a brown color, without major changes in color. Already the signs of melanoma, usually have darker colors or even a mixture of various colors, such as black, blue, red or white, for example.
D - diameter
The melanoma spot usually has a diameter of more than 6 millimeters. Therefore, if a sign is larger than normal, it is very important to consult the dermatologist, even if it has a normal color, with regular borders, and even if it is symmetrical.
In addition, malignant signs can also grow over time, starting as a small spot, which increases until it becomes a spot larger than 6 mm.
Other symptoms of skin cancer
Although the best way to identify a possible melanoma is to observe the spot on the skin, some people may experience other symptoms, such as:
- Burning sensation; Frequent itching; Bleeding.
These symptoms appear exactly at the spot of the spot, but they can also spread to a few inches around.
In addition to the melanoma visible on the skin, there are other types of melanoma, which may be more difficult to detect, as they are in more hidden locations, as is the case of melanomas under the nail, in the mouth, digestive tract, urinary tract or in the eye, for example, that also need to be dealt with as early as possible. See the main symptoms of each type of skin cancer.
How to confirm the diagnosis
To confirm or misdiagnose the diagnosis of melanoma or another type of skin cancer, it is very important to consult a dermatologist, to assess the characteristics of the stain. If cancer is suspected, the doctor may advise you to have a small local surgery to remove the stain. After that, the removed piece is sent to the laboratory, to assess whether there are cancer cells.
If cancer cells are detected, the doctor may recommend removing more skin around the area where the stain was, or starting other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, for example, according to the degree of cancer development.
See better the treatment options for skin cancer.
