Latest news with #basalCellCarcinoma
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
The unbelievably subtle 'spot' on woman's nose that turned out to be cancer - doctors forced to remove chunk of her face
A mother has shared the incredibly subtle sign of her skin cancer that struck twice, and resulted in a 'big gaping black hole' in the side of her nose. Kerry-Ann Buckell, 35, from East Grinstead, spotted a red puss-filled bump on her nose in 2021 and thought it was just a pimple. She squeezed the spot and didn't think much of it, but it kept reappearing over the next three weeks. Despite bursting the pimple every time it reappeared, it would soon come back again, prompting the celebrity hairstylist to seek medical advise. Her doctor was concerned and referred Ms Buckell to a dermatologist for further checks and a possible biopsy. Starting to fear the worst, Ms Buckell looked up her ailment online, where all answers seemed to point to a terrifying diagnosis. 'The words skin cancer practically jumped off the webpage', she told That's Life magazine. 'But I convinced myself that it was just a white-head.' She added that she always wore SPF and has never been a 'sun-worshipper'. Despite lockdown restrictions, Ms Buckell was seen quickly and, following a biopsy, she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma—a common form of skin cancer, affecting around 75,000 people in the UK every year. Ms Buckell had missed the main symptom of the disease— a growth or unusual patch on the skin, which usually affects areas that are exposed to the sun. Luckily, as is usually the case with basal cell carcinoma, unlike ultra-deadly melanoma, it had not spread. She said: 'I had read about people who loved being in the sun who had got skin cancer, but that wasn't me, so it left me very confused when they confirmed my diagnosis. 'It hadn't spread. But the realisation that I had cancer was hard to swallow.' The biopsy removed the growth and Ms Buckell recovered well—until three years later in November 2024, when she noticed another spot on the side of her nose. She tried to burst it with her fingers, but the spot would not stop bleeding. She said: 'I noticed another spot, this time double the size, that wouldn't budge'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kerry-Ann Buckell / KB Hair Extensions (@kbhairextensions) Two weeks later, the spot was still there, and, as a single mother to her 10-month old son Albie, Ms Buckell was becoming increasingly concerned. 'As much as I tried to stay in denial, I knew what it was', she said. The hairstylist was referred to a dermatologist who confirmed that the cancer was back. Ms Buckell had the disease removed, which left her with a big black hole on the side of her nose. 'This time, it was much bigger,' she said. 'It was scrapped off and I was left with a big gaping black hole on my face that made me really self-conscious.' Ms Buckell's nose has since healed and she has recently opened up her own hair salon after taking a course in trichology—the study of diseases and disorders of the hair and scalp—to help her understand warning signs. She also checks her client's scalps for any signs of skin cancer. 'Never did I think skin cancer would appear as a regular looking spot', she said. 'I'm now doing everything I can to encourage skin safety.' She is now urging people to take precautions before heading out into the sun. 'It might leave you glowing at first, but it could result in your life being on the line.' It takes a scarily low number of sunburns – only five – to make you vulnerable to skin cancer, which kills more than 2,000 people in the UK every year. The deadliest type is melanoma, which penetrates into the deep layers of the skin and can spread to other organs. Non-melanoma skin cancers, like basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, are slow growing, starting in the top later of skin, meaning that doctors can almost always cure them. Common symptoms include a spot that won't stop bleeding—due to the fragile nature of the tumours—a bump that appears darker than the surrounding skin, and crusty patches of skin that feel rough or itchy. Whilst this type of skin cancer is relatively harmless, patients often have to undergo invasive operations to remove large chunks of their skin, in order to remove the cancer—which in some cases can be disfiguring. The most harmful type of sunrays are UVB rays which hit the outer most layer of the skin and cause sunburn, as well as UVA rays which penetrate much deeper. Both of these are ultraviolet, meaning they can cause skin cancer. A worrying 90 per cent of skin cancer cases in the UK are a direct result of sunburn and using sunbeds, according to Cancer Research.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Dermatologist reveals incredibly subtle clue that your tiny pimple is actually cancer
A top dermatologist has flagged a little-known sign of cancer that patients often mistake for a hormonal spot. If the 'pimple' scabs over and bleeds, it's likely skin cancer, according to Harvard-trained dermatologist Dr Daniel Sugai. In an Instagram video that's so far attracted more than 134,000 views, Dr Sugai warned that the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 'does not have to be an obvious growth on the face'. Instead, it can be a small, non-healing sore, bump or even a patch of flat, scaly skin. In the video, he listed common symptoms of cancer he sees in his patients who have missed the warning sign. He said: 'A complaint I hear patients say is that "I just washed my face and there's this one spot that keeps bleeding", and it does this bleed-scab cycle. 'So if you have a spot that's not fully healing or is very fragile with gentle trauma like washing your face, definitely see your dermatologist.' This is likely because BCCs are typically fragile tumors and can develop blood vessels to help them grow, making them more prone to bleeding. Dr Sugai also advised if that pesky pimple doesn't go away after four weeks it could be cancer, and you should consult your doctor. While the average spot will go away in about a week, a skin cancer bump will not heal on its own. For those with darker skin, a bump will grow and become darker than the surrounding skin, the top dermatologist said. 'For my patients who have skin of colour, I will find a pigmented basal cell most commonly and it's usually hyperpigmented with some red mixed in. And with time it will start to bleed easily.' Upon closer inspection with a dermatoscope, even the tiniest of spots can be skin cancer. Pointing to an example, he said: 'This tiny spot on the lip was skin cancer and most people would have ignored it because it's flat and wasn't bleeding. 'I looked up close and I was able to see these concerning features. There's tree-like blood vessles and I can see some small scarring. 'I took a biopsy of it and it turned out to be a basal cell carcinoma. I diagnose these everyday and I actually treat them surgically everyday.' Dr Sugai's biggest for avoiding the deadly cancer is wearing sunscreen. He said: 'People don't realise that the first 20 years of life is so important in terms of sun protection, because getting those sunburns early on in life will definitely affect how healthy your DNA is later on in life. 'If you're starting late in the sunscreen game, it's never too late. Keep wearing your sunscreen because we don't want to overwhelm our skin with DNA mutations that are induced from the sun.' It takes a scarily low number of sunburns—only five—to make you vulnerable to the condition that kills more than 2,000 people in the UK every year. About 75,000 people are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) each year and the condition accounts for approximately 70 per cent of all skin cancers. Unlike the deadliest type, melanoma, these cancers are slow growing and doctors can almost always cure them. However, patients often have to undergo invasive operations to remove large chunks of their skin in order to destroy the cancer—which can be disfiguring. The most harmful type of sunrays are UVB which hit the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause the most sunburn, as well as UVA rays which penetrate much deeper and contribute to ageing. Both are ultraviolet, which means they cause skin cancer. A worrying 90 per cent of skin cancer cases in the UK are a direct result of sunburn and using sunbeds, according to Cancer Research.
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Nodule found in ex-president Joe Biden's prostate during routine physical exam
A small nodule has been found in Joe Biden's prostate during a routine physical exam, a spokesperson said. A short statement said the finding 'necessitated further evaluation' but it was not clear whether that had already taken place or the outcome of the examination. Advertisement The detection of nodules in the prostate generally requires a further exam by a urologist to rule out cancer. The former US president's age and concerns about his health were cited by Democratic leaders who pressed him to abandon his re-election bid last year after a disastrous debate performance in June. But as recently as last week, Mr Biden rejected concerns about his age, saying the broader party did not buy into that, instead blaming the Democratic leadership and 'significant contributors'. President Donald Trump repeatedly raised questions about Mr Biden's physical and mental capacity during the campaign. Advertisement In February 2023, Mr Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. In November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.
