Latest news with #skincancer
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Chester-le-Street man's cancer spotted by tattoo artist
A man whose skin cancer was first spotted by a tattoo artist has helped save lives, his family has Linton, from Chester-le-Street, was diagnosed with melanoma at the age of had developed from a mole on his arm, which was flagged by his tattoo artist, but Mr Linton did not know it was anything to worry family has been working with charity Melanoma-Me Foundation to raise awareness and said his story had helped save lives. Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer which can spread to other parts of the Sunderland-based charity is offering training to professionals such as tattoo artists, barbers and physiotherapists to learn how to spot signs of the hopes it will help with early detection, especially in hard-to-see areas like the back of the head and Linton had booked his first tattoo appointment to get a tribute to his mother's experience with cystic fibrosis, when his tattoo artist flagged "something unusual" on his forearm. It was only when he started his treatment in hospital that his family realised it could have been the first time the cancer was spotted. Mr Linton's mother Amanda said he did not mention the mole sooner because he had not realised it was anything to worry about."We asked 'why he didn't get it checked out, why he didn't tell us'...but he said he didn't even know what melanoma was," Mrs Linton said."He just didn't think skin cancer happened to people his age."Dad Steven Linton recalled getting the news in hospital."The doctor came in and had to bring in palliative care nurses. You just knew the news is going to be awful," he said."There was over a 50% survival rate at that point. So you grasp onto anything you can."Mr Linton died at the age of 20. 'Not brush it off' Melanoma-Me Foundation CEO Kerry Rafferty said there was a lack of awareness around skin cancer."Most people still think it's an older person's disease, but most people we work with are under the age of 50," she said."If we can get it into people's head about how melanoma presents, and it can happen to if something is changing on someone's skin, they're not going to brush it off."Ms Rafferty said the foundation's training had helped diagnose dozens of people. "We're not saying the barber is going to diagnose the person, but they can bring it to their attention, and they can get it checked out," Ms Rafferty said."We've had over 70 people diagnosed with our training so far, so we know it has saved lives."Melanoma-Me Foundation is also doing an annual festival in Mr Linton's honour, TomsFest, which takes place later at Park View School in Sounds: Sunderland charity teaching tattoo artists and barbers to spot signs of skin cancerThe charity uses their social media pages to share Mr Linton's story and raise father said it had helped save lives."There's a man from around Norfolk who got checked out, because of seeing it on social media," he said."He was able to make a full recovery."Tom said 'if you can save just one life, it's all been worth it'." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
The 'freckle' that ended up being terminal skin cancer...doctors say I could have months to live
A mother has been given a terminal skin cancer diagnosis after she was dismissed by doctors who said she had a holiday bug. As a precaution, Katie Cooper, 32, from Greater Manchester, had a small freckle removed from a patch of skin behind her ear around seven years ago. But around four years later, she noticed a small lump had formed in the same place. Subsequent tests revealed it was melanoma—the deadliest type of skin cancer that is on the rise in young Britons. The prognosis for the condition is good, with most patients cured, providing the disease is caught early. Doctors immediately removed Ms Cooper's growth and told her she was cancer free. But the ordeal didn't end there for the civil servant and her family. In March this year, nearly seven years after she noticed the freckle, she developed bizarre aches and pains. But having just returned from a trip to Disneyland Paris, doctors assured her it was most likely 'just a virus' she'd picked up on her travels. Yet it wasn't long until the mother-of-one found herself bedbound and in 'agony'. After five weeks, she didn't get any better and her pain persisted, so doctors performed a scan. They discovered the melanoma had not only returned but aggressively spread throughout her body—reaching her bones, spine, liver, lungs, abdominal wall, and ovaries. 'It's terrifying. We had no idea and we just thought I was unwell. It blindsided us,' said Ms Cooper. 'Finding out subsequently that it was in my other organs as well, I knew it would be quite difficult from here on out.' At stages three and four—when the disease has spread to nearby tissues and organs or bones—the survival rate is as low as 66 and 27 per cent, respectively. She is now undergoing grueling radiotherapy and immunotherapy treatment to manage her incurable condition. Ms Cooper's friend, Abi Smith, said they have been told the prognosis could be as little as a few months if the treatment fails to work. 'If it does work, they may be able to get to a 60 per cent chance of 10 years,' she said. 'She's accepted the cancer, but when she thinks about her three-year-old daughter, Aurora, she gets really upset. 'She's hoping she'll be there for all her milestones.' The devastated mother has encouraged others to 'advocate for themselves' and to get checked if they're unsure about something. She added: 'You know your body best. If you feel like something is not right, then you are within your rights to go and ask and don't be afraid to keep pushing to get those answers.' A GoFundMe has been launched to support the civil servant with medical and living expenses. 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. One in 35 men and one in 41 women in the UK will be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in their lifetime. 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.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Shockingly little sunbed use that led to 23-year-old's skin cancer that spread to her lungs and neck
A woman with late stage skin cancer has warned of the catastrophic dangers of pursuing a 'base tan' before a summer holiday—after just a handful of sunbed sessions left her with incurable disease. Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, used sunbeds for the first time in her early twenties, to 'prepare' her skin for an upcoming trip to South East Asia. She used the tanning devices—known to increase cancer risk by up to 75 per cent— for just 'a couple of minutes here and there', totalling less than an hour over the course of several weeks. While on holiday, she recalled using sun cream to protect herself from the sun's harmful UV rays, aware that she is 'very fair-skinned and always get burnt'. Upon her return to the UK, the NHS administrator visited her GP to enquire about a mole that was worrying her. 'The doctor said this doesn't look right, I'm going to refer you on the two-week cancer pathway,' she said. She had the mole removed and was called back for an appointment two weeks later. 'There were two Macmillan Cancer nurses in there too… that's when they said to me it's come back as melanoma, stage 1B.' Stage 1B melanoma is one of the earliest stages of the deadliest type of skin cancer. This stage means it has not yet spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and it is generally highly curable. Ms Murphy recalled being the youngest person in her cancer support group, aged 23 at the time. 'Everyone else was in their 40s, 50s, 60s,' she said. 'It was an experience.' Doctors performed surgery to cut out the cancer in 2019. 'It felt like such a relief to hear that the cancer hadn't spread,' she said. 'I said to myself, "I've beaten it",' said Lily. But four years later, in January 2023, she began to feel unwell during a family trip to Gloucestershire. She was 'constantly tired' and suffering agonising back pain, which eventually migrated to her chest. 'I couldn't breathe. I said to my mum it feels like something's not right,' she said. Despite repeated trips to A&E, her concerns were dismissed as anxiety, linked to her mental health history. Eventually, she was booked for scans and blood tests in a different department, which revealed the devastating truth: her cancer was back and had spread to her lungs and neck. With new treatments, some people are living with stage four melanoma for a long time according to Cancer Research UK. However, studies suggest that, on average, only half of those with this stage of disease live beyond six years. Ms Murphy began immunotherapy treatment in April 2023, but struggled to tolerate the doses required. She then tried two oral chemotherapy treatments but developed a severe allergic reaction within 10 days, including a rash that spread down her throat. She later developed sepsis, caused by a weakened immune system, and was rushed to hospital. In February 2025, she began a new treatment that has already shown signs of shrinking her cancer, despite only managing four of the recommended 12 tablets per day. 'I'm taking a break from treatment at the moment, because it's just too much on my body,' Ms Murphy said. She has now launched a petition, Ban Sun Beds to Protect Against Skin Cancer, which has already gained more than 700 signatures. 'It was just a spur of the moment thing,' she said. 'Sunbeds are a known cancer risk. 'Banning them would save lives—and save the NHS money.' She has called for a stop to the 'glamourisation' of tanning by social media and influencers. 'Your tan is semi-permanent, but your life should be permanent,' she said. Last year, rates of deadly melanoma reached a record high in the UK, with new diagnoses increasing by almost a third in just a decade, according to Cancer Research UK. Now, experts are warning that cases are on the rise again— set to surge faster in men than women. Michelle Mitchell, CEO at Cancer Research, said: 'The growing number of people diagnosed with melanoma is concerning, especially when we can see that rates are rising faster in men. 'If you notice anything different on your skin, like a new mole, a mole that's changed in size, shape, or colour, or any patch of skin that looks out of the ordinary—don't ignore it, speak to your GP', she added.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I'm a skin cancer expert - there's one body part that's most at risk...because no one puts sun cream there
An expert in the deadliest type of skin cancer has urged the public never to forget their ears when applying sun cream—as that's the part of the body where many of his patients develop lethal melanoma. Dr Michael Park, a dermatologist based in Minneapolis, the US, shared a video to Instagram that told of the 'big chunks' of skin he regularly cuts out of peoples' ears because they have forgotten to apply sunscreen to this delicate area. 'I don't know where people got the idea of "it's just skin cancer, it's not that big of a deal",' he told his 6,000 followers. 'But let me make something really clear. Melanoma, if not caught early, will kill you,' Dr Park warned. He continued: 'I don't know anyone who wants to get a large piece of skin cut out of them, but personally I think there are certain areas that are way worse than other—and one of those places most people forget to apply sunscreen to. The ears.' Melanoma is the most dangerous type of the disease, accounting for four out of five skin cancer deaths. Research shows that nearly 90 per cent of cases are caused by over exposure to ultraviolet radiation, either directly from the sun or sunbeds—meaning they could be prevented. Research shows that up to 70 per cent of people in the UK make catastrophic failures when it comes to sun protection, such as failing to reapply sun cream and not applying the lotion before going out in the sun. 'Aggressive squamous cell carcinoma on the head and neck will also kill you,' Dr Park added. This type of cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer in the UK, and starts in the top layer of the skin. Non-melanoma cancers—basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas—can usually be easily treated especially if they are discovered early. However, the main treatment for the disease is surgery. 'Although the most common type of skin cancer—basal cell carcinoma—will likely not kill you, you literally have to cut it out,' Dr Park explained. This can include cutting out the cancer, known as an excisional biopsy, or freezing the affected skin, which forms a scab that drops off after a few weeks—known as cryosurgery. However, surgeons will often have to cut out some healthy skin, to make sure the cancer doesn't spread, Dr Park warned. He said while completing his medical training, where he spent over a year at a melanoma specialty clinic, he regularly saw skin cancer developing on peoples' ears. 'We don't just cut out the cancer, but the skin surrounding it, to make sure that it doesn't come back,' he said. 'So this summer, unless you want to look like Vincet van Gogh, make sure you put sunscreen on your ears.' Social media users flooded the comment section of the dermatologist's video. One user said: 'I had basal cell carcinoma. It was located inside the ear and they had to cut it out and it was no picnic. It was very painful'. Another user said: 'I've gotten sunburn too many times on my ears!' This comes as data by Cancer Research UK shows that last year, rates of the cancer reached a record high, with new melanoma diagnoses increasing by almost a third in just a decade. Now, experts are warning that melanoma cases are on the rise again. Melanoma typicaly presents as moles that have uneven edges. When diagnosing the deadly disease, dermatologists look out for asymmetry, border, colour, diameter and evolving, known as the ABCDEs. With warmer weather fast approaching, research suggests that 21,300 cases of the disease could be expected this year, the majority of which could be avoided by taking precautions such as applying sunscreen regularly and staying out of the sun. The NHS advises staying out of the sun during the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm in the UK, keeping arms and legs covered and using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Currently around 15,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year—the UK's fifth most common cancer—with the incidence rate rising faster than any other common cancer. How the cancer is treated depends on whether the cancer has spread, with only 27 per cent of patients diagnosed at stage four surviving beyond five years. This comes as patients with the deadliest type of skin cancer are set to be given fast-tracked access to a revolutionary cancer vaccine on the NHS. The needle-free injection is custom-built for patients to stop their melanoma returning—which experts believe will herald a new era in fighting the disease. It works by boosting the immune system's response, helping it to 'attack' proteins that are specific to melanoma tumours, preventing them from returning. Currently, around half of patients diagnosed with melanoma respond to immunotherapy. But those who don't are at a higher risk of their cancer getting worse.
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Walsall grandmother spreads skin cancer awareness
"It's always nice to have a tan but it's just not worth the risk."Chris Ford, 78, from Aldridge, was diagnosed with skin cancer two years ago after noticing a new skin lesion by her eye was referred to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital and had a procedure under local anaesthetic to remove the cancerous the grandmother is committed to raising awareness of the importance of people looking after their skin. "I've always loved the sunshine, and I used to go on the sunbeds quite a lot when I was younger," she said."I'd always reach for a tanning oil over a high factor SPF and it's something I really regret now."Ms Ford was previously treated for a basal-cell carcinoma on her nose in 2014, which she was told was likely to have come from over-exposure to UV had surgery to remove the cancerous cells, and a skin graft was taken from her neck."It's awful knowing this could've been prevented if I'd have just looked after my skin properly in my younger years," she said she now "religiously" applied sun cream with a high SPF and took precautions to protect herself in warm weather."All my health scares have really changed my outlook on life, as I'm aware I could've easily had these experiences taken from me," she added."I now live for spending time with my two-year-old granddaughter Harper who's bought a new lease of life to me. "I also volunteer at Walsall Manor Hospital twice a week, fundraise for Guide Dogs UK and enjoy my fair share of holidays and day trips – but I can only do these things because I have health on my side." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
