Melanomas on the feet can occur in men and women, and while they usually develop in people over the age of 50, they can be found at any age. Lighter-skinned people are more likely to develop melanomas on sun-exposed areas of the body, but only one-third of African-American patients who have melanoma develop it on sun-exposed areas. In the African-American population, melanomas most often develop on skin that is not exposed to the sun, such as the foot and under the toenails. Early detection is extremely important since malignant melanoma can spread (metastasize) rapidly.
Since melanomas on the foot and ankle often go unnoticed during their earliest stage, routine foot examinations can increase the likelihood of diagnosing and treating malignant melanomas. During routine examinations your podiatrist will always look for moles, or "nevi" which are usually evenly colored, round spots on the skin or even under the nails. Most are small and don't change in size or shape. However, the doctor will carefully examine any moles that look abnormal. The podiatrist will use a common dermatological rule (the ABCD rule) to chracterize the melanoma:
*Asymmetrical lesions.
*Border irregularity
*Color variation
*Diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser.
Skin cancer is rarely painful, so routine podiatric medical visits are important for anyone with questionable lesions on the feet. Other signs to watch for are changes in color or a mole that becomes raised from the skin. Malignant melanomas on the feet usually occur between the toes, in and around the nails, and on the soles of the feet.
Dr. Tina A. Boucher, DPM
Central Connecticut Foot Care, LLC
Podiatrist Meriden CT
http://www.centralctfootcare.com/
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