RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - If a mole the size of an eraser tip appeared on a little toe, most people would probably ignore it.
Sheryl Overstreet says she didn’t give it much thought.
But during her regular skin check the small mole caught the eye of her dermatologist.
“Later she saw it had darkened,” says Sheryl. “I had not noticed that. But because of that, she has special equipment and scopes where she can really get into the skin and look. She knew exactly what it was right away.”
Turns out Sheryl had Melanoma — the kind Bob Marley died of; Acral Lentiginous Melanoma.
It’s the kind of skin cancer found in places where the skin is hidden from the sun like the feet or under toenails.
Sheryl had surgery on her toe about a year ago. All that remains is a scar on the outside of her little toe.
No further treatment was needed as doctors caught the Melanoma in its earliest and most curable stages.
“Melanoma has a tendency to break off and go internally,” says Dermatologist Dr. Cindy Lamerson with Nevada Center for Dermatology. “And it can go to the lymph nodes, or it can go via the circulation into other organs, like the liver, the lung, the brain. So, it can be more deadly because it metastasizes.”
There is no one cause to Melanoma. But we do know sun exposure, even exposure to tanning beds, can increase the risk. Melanoma can run in families.
But keep in mind even if the patient fits into none of these categories, that doesn’t mean melanoma won’t develop.
Dr. Lamerson says when examining the skin, think of the ABCDEs.
A means Asymmetry, B means irregular Border, C is a change in Color. D stands for Diameter, and E is Evolving — has the mole changed over time?
Dr. Lamerson says because we live in the high Nevada desert, our exposure to the sun is greater than most places.
While she highly recommends sunscreen every day 365 days a year, she also recommends long sleeve shirts and long pants, and hats for further protection from the sun.