Callum Jones
Medics are urging people to get clued up on the signs of a deadly form of skin cancer after one doctor went viral for sharing a video of the 'worst melanoma' he'd ever seen.
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the US, with the American Academy of Dermatology Association estimating a staggering one in five Americans will develop the disease in their lifetime.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of the cancer, and so experts are keen to raise as much awareness as possible of the early red flags to look out for before it's too late.
Doctor John O'Bryen, who goes by 'skincaredoctor' on TikTok, is among those discussing the topic and recently shared the 'worst melanoma’ he's ever seen.
Advert
The doc said in his video: "A man came to me last week, concerned about a new lump on his arm. It was red and had been quickly growing in size."
The health expert shared a close-up snap of the cancer with a 'dermatoscope', which revealed the spot was pink and white in color.
O'Bryen said it measured 4mm on the Breslow thickness scale, which is used to measure the depth of a melanoma from the top of its granular layer to the deepest point of the tumor.
On the outside, it looked like a slightly elevated red lump, but under the microscope it had 'white polarising lines' and 'polymorphous vessels'.
The doctor quickly diagnosed the patient as having a nodular melanoma, a dangerous type of the disease as he said it 'grows quickly and causes the greatest fatality'.
Cleveland Clinic explains that symptoms of nodular melanoma include a firm, dome-shaped growth on your skin, discoloration, bleeding, itching and stinging.
Meanwhile, the texture of the growth may be be smooth, crusty or rough, like cauliflower.
Nodular melanoma is the second-most common type of melanoma, making up about 15 to 20 percent of cases.
O'Bryen explained further in the viral TikTok video of the dangers that come with melanoma.
"Scary! Not all melanomas are brown and black!" the medical professional said. "I performed an excisional biopsy of this and the patient will see a melanoma surgeon and medical oncologist."
Nodular melanoma impacts men over the aged of 50 the most, while there are a number of factors that mean you could be more at risk.
Cleveland Clinic states if you've had skin cancer before, have a family history of skin cancer, are fair skinned and get sunburned easily, or spend a lot of time in the sun, then you have an increased risk of developing melanoma.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.