Dr. Lorrie Klein’s Blog

As many of you know, malignant melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer.  If caught early there is a very high cure rate but if not detected early on it can spread to lymph nodes and other organs, leading to death.  Unlike most other cancers however (breast cancer, lung cancer, etc), melanoma can be visually detected, often very early on, by you or your dermatologist.

Not all melanomas are obvious however.  Most are brown and/or black with irregular borders and multiple shades of color or very black.  There are some however that lack pigment and are difficult to detect even for an experienced dermatologist.  Some make look like normal moles for a long time before they start to change in appearance.

I recommend examining your moles and your spouse’s moles on a regular basis to become familiar with how they look.  This way, if one were to change you will hopefully detect it early and make an appointment with a dermatologist.  You should also have a regular skin exam by a dermatologist at least annually if you have had a history of abnormal moles, a family history of melanoma, a history of pre-cancers, a history of lots of sun exposure, many moles or a history of any type of skin cancer.

While it isn’t completely accurate, you can use the ABCDE criteria when checking your moles for possible abnormalities.

A = asymmetry (1 side being a different shape than the other)

B = border (an irregular edge, not smooth)

C= color (more than 1 color in the same mole)

D = diameter (greater than 6 mm, the width of a pencil eraser)

E = erythema (redness around the edge of the mole) or evolution (a changing moloe)

Having 1 or more of these signs may indicate a melanoma, an abnormal mole that is more likely to turn into a melanoma or a normal mole that just looks bad but isn’t.  So don’t panic if some of your moles fit this criteria, just make an appointment with a dermatologist and if necessary she or he will do a biopsy of the mole.