A persistent red-brown, scaly, eczema-like patch on sun-exposed areas of the skin, the mucous membranes of the nose or mouth, or the genitals could be a sign of Bowen’s disease. (3)
Melanoma: Tricky to Spot
Melanoma can develop anywhere on the skin but is more likely to start on the chest and back in men and on the legs in women.
African-Americans are significantly less likely to get skin cancer than whites, but when they do develop melanoma, they are more likely to develop it on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, or underneath the nails.
Most melanoma cells still produce the pigment melanin, so they are often black or brown, but they can also be pink, tan, or white. (4)
The most basic way to spot a possible malignancy is to use the “ugly duckling” approach. Ask yourself whether any spot looks different than all the other ones around it — it might be larger and darker, for instance, or it might be a small red mole surrounded by bigger brown moles.
Is it Melanoma? Use the ABCDE Tool
The ABCDE rule is another way to assess whether a mole or other spot is worrisome:
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A is for asymmetry. One half does not match the other.
B is for border. Edges are scalloped or notched.
C is for color. There are several different shades of brown, tan, or black, or colors like red, blue, or white.
D is for diameter. The spot is bigger than the eraser on a pencil, about 1/4 inch (although a malignant spot can be smaller if caught early).