Moles May Signal Skin Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million Americans will get some form of skin cancer this year, and in many of those cases, moles may serve as early warning signs.

Ohio State University doctor said many skin cancer patients get into trouble because the moles appear on the neck, back and scalp, where they go unnoticed.

"You should really be looking everywhere. If you have a significant other, have that person check you from top to bottom, front to back," said Dr. Maria Riza-Conroy of the Ohio State University Medical Center.

If you do find a suspicious mole, Riza-Conroy said keep five letters in mind -- A, B, C, D and E.

# A stands for asymmetry. Moles that tend to be malignant are irregular in shape, and those that are benign are rounded, Riza-Conroy said.
# B stands for border. If the mole has a rough edge, get it checked.
# C is color. Moles with more than one color could spell trouble.
# D stands for diameter. Moles larger than a pencil eraser should be checked.
# E stands for evolution. "Evolution means there’s a change in the shape, size or color. Or sometimes there are symptoms like bleeding,” said Riza-Conroy.

She said time is of the essence -- the longer you wait to get a suspicious mole checked, the more likely it is to develop into something more serious.
source:www.wftv.com