Moles are congenital or acquired formations on the skin. In medicine, they are called nevus. If you notice their presence, it is not necessary to sound the alarm. It is enough to go to the medical institution only once a year to check for moles. The specialist will be able to notice some changes and diagnose the ailment, if any. How are moles checked? How is oncology detected? We will talk about this in our article.
Cause for concern
Moles are present on the body of each person, while they can be large and small, flat and convex, smooth and granular, dark and light. It is not necessary to examine each spot very carefully and thoroughly, but it is necessary to monitor whether the nevus changes over time. Particular attention is paid to those spots that are located in the groin and under the chest.
But why monitor the condition of your mole? The fact is that even the smallest points on the body under the influence of ultraviolet rays or other factors can develop into a malignant tumor. That is why those people who have a lighter skin, and there are many nevuses on the body, should avoid direct sunlight, as well as tanning in a solarium. In addition, a simple birthmark injury can lead to serious consequences. Before answering the question of how to check moles for a malignant form, you need to understand their main varieties.
Types of birthmarks
The main varieties of moles include:
- Vascular They appear due to too rapid growth of skin capillaries.
- Pigmented. They appear due to the fact that the pigment melanin in the body is produced too much.
Another classification:
- Congenital. With them, the baby is born.
- Acquired spots that depend on the patient’s genetics, type of skin, as well as sun exposure.
In addition, there are nevi, with their entire plane located on the skin, and hanging, that is, on the leg.
How moles are checked
There is a simple very interesting method that allows you to check your nevus for a malignant form. You only need to remember one word "chord", in which each letter has its own meaning.
- “A” means asymmetry. If your nevus is uneven, asymmetric, then this may be a sign of a malignant form of education.
- “K” means edge. If the birthmark has torn and uneven borders, then this is also a sign of malignancy.
- Another letter “K” is the bleeding of a mole.
- "O" in this case means the color of education. If the nevus changes hue, blotches or stripes of different colors have formed on it, then this is cause for concern.
- "P" is the size of the mole. Large neoplasms have more prerequisites for malignant degeneration.
- “D” implies dynamics. If the stain has increased in size, cracks or crusts have appeared, then you should immediately consult a doctor.
Anxiety symptoms
We continue to consider how the moles are checked for a malignant form. If the spot begins to reborn, change color, become lighter or darker, then this is a very alarming symptom. In addition, if the mole has increased in a couple of months by 5 mm in diameter, this indicates a malignant transformation.
If severe soreness appears during a birthmark injury, this is also a serious symptom. Despite all the dangerous symptoms described above, it should be noted that only a qualified specialist can check a birthmark for oncology. In no case can you do self-diagnosis at home and carry out independent treatment.
Precautions
In case of trauma to the formation, the doctor may prescribe the removal of a mole to the patient. This can be done with a laser, liquid nitrogen, or by simple surgical intervention. As a rule, after such a manipulation, the material is sent to the laboratory for histological examination. This is the most accurate diagnostic method.
Where to check a birthmark for oncology? Only in the hospital. As a rule, these are oncological centers where birthmark removal was performed. It should be said that histology can be carried out only if the doctor has biological material. When a mole is burned with a laser or liquid nitrogen, as a rule, it does not remain.
You should be aware that the development of skin cancer can be prevented by avoiding direct sunlight. If you go to the beach, it is best to do this in the morning, as well as in the evening after 4 hours. Use necessary sunscreen. Also bring hats and sunglasses. Whenever possible in summer, cotton clothing should be worn. Despite the fact that the factor of heredity in this case is of great importance, the likelihood of developing cancer can be reduced if you follow these simple tips.
Diagnostics
If you want to check your skin for oncology, then you need to carry out dermatoscopy. Which doctor checks for moles? As a rule, a dermatologist does this. During the diagnosis, he examines the skin through a special magnifier, and then fixes the size and changes. If this examination is not enough, then the specialist prescribes tests that the patient must pass. If deviations from the norm are detected, then the neoplasms are removed by simple surgical means or by cryotherapy.
Many are also interested in where you can check moles. Currently, such procedures are carried out in almost all public hospitals.
Dermatoscopy is performed if there are several moles on the body that are located on fair skin. This procedure is also carried out in the event that the patient damaged his neoplasm, if the number of growths began to increase sharply, or unpleasant sensations appeared in the place where the nevus is located.
Other research methods
There are many hospitals where moles are checked. In Moscow, as well as in other large cities of Russia, there are a large number of paid clinics dealing with oncological issues. If, after visiting such an institution, a specialist diagnosed a malignant disease, it is necessary to identify its form, as well as prevent the rapid spread. For this, an x-ray of the chest is taken, the liver is checked, a biochemical blood test is given.
Self-examination - whether or not it is possible
We figured out where to check the mole for a child and an adult. However, you should pay attention to the fact that the procedure can be carried out at home. However, after it it is nevertheless necessary to come to check the birthmark to a dermatologist to accurately verify the presence or absence of a malignant form.
A birthmark that can degenerate into a cancerous formation is detected by the signs described above. You can monitor its dynamics on your own, but you can not do treatment at home.
Which specialists examine
If you have symptoms of a malignant mole or if you suspect a melanoma, you should seek help from a specialist. Above, we answered that most often people turn to a dermatologist with this problem. If your clinic has a dermato-oncologist, then it is best to contact him. This is a doctor specializing specifically in oncological skin diseases. In most cases, such specialists are received at large cancer centers. Unfortunately, they are not available in all settlements. If you live in a metropolis, then you can check the birthmark for a child or yourself with a dermato-oncologist.
In some clinics or specialized institutions there are general oncologists. Most often, such hospitals also have their own histological laboratories, so biomaterial research will be carried out right on the spot.
As for dermatologists, they do not specialize in melanoma, but they know everything about various skin diseases. This doctor is able to accurately distinguish harmless nevus from malignant melanoma, and then give the patient further recommendations.
Addresses of clinics in the capital
Where to check moles in Moscow? The best clinics:
- Russian Cancer Research Center named after N.N. Blokhina: Kashirskoe highway, 23.
- Yusupovskaya hospital: Nagornaya street, 17, bldg. 6.
- European Clinic: 22 B. Duhovskoy Lane
- Clinic of Oncoimmunology and Cytokine Therapy: ul. Stroiteley, d. 7, bldg. 1.
- Moscow Scientific Research Oncological Institute (MNIIO) named after P.A. Herzen: 2nd Botkin passage, 3.
Risk factors
There are several factors that influence the increased likelihood of degeneration of a harmless mole into melanoma. These include:
- Too pale skin.
- The skin areas on which the mole is located are not protected from ultraviolet radiation (hands, face).
- Relatives have or had once had melanomas.
- Too many moles on the patient’s body.
- Elderly age.
- Male.
Possible consequences
If you do not see a doctor when the first signs of malignant melanoma appear, then this can provoke very unpleasant consequences, up to a fatal outcome. Some consider skin cancer not very dangerous, as they are sure that melanoma is never too late to cut. However, this disease is very insidious. It almost always gives metastases, that is, cancer can begin anywhere on the body. It is these melanomas that are dangerous.
If you want to get reliable results, then it is necessary to undergo examination also by an immunologist, endocrinologist and other specialized specialists. Damage to the skin can indicate the development of diabetes. If the neoplasm is located near the eye, then in this case an ophthalmologist will help you. An immunologist determines how human immunity works. If it is strong enough, it can inhibit the growth of cancer cells for some time.
To avoid various kinds of complications, it is necessary to carry out prevention. To do this, experts recommend removing moles that rise above the skin, as well as those that change color or are damaged.
Patient opinions
Patient reviews suggest that you can not touch them if they do not change over time and do not cause any problems. Doctors and patients are advised to remove the formations if the mole suddenly begins to change its shape, color, size. You also need to get rid of the pigmented formations that are located in places on the body where they are constantly injured or create psychological discomfort.
In cosmetology salons, nevi are simply removed, but they are not checked for histology. To conduct such a study, you need to contact a medical institution. In the reviews, people write that the procedure for removing a mole is absolutely painless.