A Scots mum has issued a warning after been diagnosed with incurable skin cancer, despite showing no visible symptoms.
Melissa Young from Kirkaldy was surprised to learn she had Stage 3 melanoma, as she didn't notice any changes to her skin.
The 44 year-old, who admits to using sunbeds twice a week during the summer, only noticed something was off when she caught coronavirus in 2021.
The fever and sweats caused by Covid led her to finding a small lump in her armpit. She was sent for a mammogram and a scan, which detected the advanced cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
Melissa's story is worrying, as melanoma is typically associated with visible symptoms which help early detection. So how did her case go unnoticed for so long?
Catherine Harwood, Consultant Dermatologist, Barts Health and Trustee of Melanoma Focus charity told the Record: “Although it is uncommon to present like this with melanoma in the lymph nodes when there has been no obvious skin melanoma, it can happen for several reasons.
"It’s possible that the original skin melanoma may have disappeared by the time it has spread to lymph nodes. It’s also possible that the original melanoma has been missed because it was an uncommon type of melanoma."
While skin cancer is divided into melanoma and non-melanoma forms, there are actually several types, which can differ in appearance.
"Some melanomas do not have the usual brown or black colour and can be red or pink or purple or even skin coloured", Catherine said.
She further explained: "There are also melanomas that are found under the nails and on the soles of the feet and hands and these are often the type that occur in people with darker skin types.
"Very rarely, melanomas can also be found in non-skin areas such as the genital areas and in the eye."
Here are the different forms of melanoma and how you can look out for them, as explained by the experts at Melanoma Focus.
Superficial spreading melanoma
Skin or superficial spreading cutaneous melanoma is the most common form of melanoma skin cancer in the UK. This form initially grows outwards superficially, but then may grow downwards and spread within the body.
Superficial spreading melanomas typically have irregular borders and uneven pigmentation.
According to the NHS, the most common signs of skin cancer include:
- A sore that doesn't heal
- Changes to freckles or moles on your skin or new moles
- Red patches on the skin that may be itchy
- A lump that might be small, growing, shiny and pink or red
- An ulcer that doesn't heal
Nodular Melanoma
This type of melanoma develops more rapidly and quickly grow vertically downwards into the deeper layers of skin. It presents itself as a raised, nodular lesion which can be a darker pink irregular colour.
They are most commonly seen on the head, back and chest, and may bleed or ooze. In some cases, nodular melanomas may have no pigmentation, making them easily missed on the body.
Lentigo Maligna Melanoma
Lentigo maligna melanomas are most common in older people who have spent a lot of time outdoors and in the sun. They develop over several years in areas of skin that have been exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, head and neck.
Lentigo maligna melanomas begin flat and look like a large, dark freckle. They grow outwards and may change shape. They may then grow downwards into the deeper layers of skin and form a lump.
Acral Lentiginous Melanoma
Acral lentiginous melanomas are rare and form on the palms, soles of feet and around the nail. They are most common in people with dark skin, but they can occur in any skin colour.
Amelanotic Melanoma
Amelanotic melanoma is a less common form of melanoma that has little or no colour. These melanomas can be pink or red, and as they are not the typical brown or black colour, they can be difficult to diagnose.
Its warning signs include:
- painful, fragile areas of skin
- an open sore that takes more than three weeks to heal
- a spot that oozes, bleeds or crusts over
Mucosal melanoma
Mucosal melanoma is a rare type of melanoma that occurs on mucosal surfaces, such as the nasal passages, sinuses, oral cavity, anus and vagina.
While this melanoma is rarer, because of it's location it can be naturally difficult to spot.
Some symptoms of mucosal melanoma include:
- recurring nose bleeds
- discomfort
- rectal mass
- vaginal bleeding and/or discharge
- pigmented spots around the vagina or anus
Uveal (ocular) melanoma
Ocular or uveal melanoma is melanoma that occurs in the eye. Similar to melanoma of the skin, these rare melanomas arise from the pigment cells in the eye called melanocytes.
It can present itself as a dark blackish patch within the coloured part of the eye.
To learn more about the different types of melanoma and what they look like, visit Melanoma Focus.
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