how to detect this skin cancer?

A recent study highlights the importance of screening for skin cancer, known as melanoma. One of the two main types of skin cancer, explains Martin Ducret.

Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily, tell us today about a potentially serious skin cancer, melanoma. A recent study highlights the importance of screening for this cancer, not only in people with light skin, who are particularly at risk, but also in people with dark or black skin.

franceinfo: Before telling us about this study, what is melanoma?

Martin Ducret: It is one of the two main types of skin cancer. The most common and least aggressive is carcinoma, which can be basal cell or squamous cell. Melanoma – which develops from melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation – is rarer, only 10% of skin cancers, but it develops more frequently into a serious form, with the presence of metastases.

This cancer most often manifests itself by the appearance of a dark brown or black spot on healthy skin, or from a mole. You should know that melanoma mainly affects people with fair skin, in areas excessively exposed to the sun, particularly during childhood. It is therefore important to protect yourself well from the sun, and to apply a high protection sunscreen to limit the appearance of this cancer.

But be careful, people with dark or black skin can also have melanoma?

Yes, absolutely. This is confirmed by an American study of nearly 500,000 patients. “Melanoma is much rarer in this population than in fair-skinned people, but it is more difficult to detect, Professor Caroline Robert, onco-dermatologist at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif, explained to me.

On the one hand, because a dark lesion on dark skin is less visible, and on the other hand because it appears more frequently on areas less exposed to the sun, on the genital mucous membranes or at the level of the extremities, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, including the nails.”

When should you be concerned and consult a doctor?

In the event of the appearance of a black colored spot or in the event of the evolution of a mole with irregular edges, poorly defined, with several colors (black and blue for example), which evolves, grows, changes thickness and color. You should also consult if a pigmented spot appears on the mucous membranes, or if a longitudinal black strip persists on a nail which widens over time.

But don’t panic either. The presence of one of these signs does not necessarily mean that it is melanoma, but warrants immediate medical advice. The sooner this cancer is treated, the less risk there is of it developing into a serious form. For the record, singer Bob Marley died from melanoma of the big toe, neglected for several years.