Nine signs of cancer including ‘silent’ symptom you can spot on your feet

17 June 2023 , 00:04

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Nine signs of cancer including ‘silent’ symptom you can spot on your feet

As the UK continues to bake in early summer sunshine, experts have issued warnings about the dangers of skin cancer and advised how to protect yourself from harmful UV rays.

Some 16,000 people are diagnosed with Melanoma - the most serious form of skin cancer - every year, reports The Sun.

It also kills some 2,340 people a year, according to Cancer Research UK.

Melanoma develops when skin gets too much sun and the cells become damaged and start mutating.

Because people often don't look for the warning signs, it often spreads before it's noticed and treated.

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In particular, the disease often develops on people's feet because they very rarely check them.

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The NHS warns that any open sore or cut that fails to heal or quickly returns should be checked out.

If it is caught early, Melanoma is very treatable and most people make a full recovery.

The most common warning sign of the disease is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole.

Melanoma on the feet often goes unnoticed (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the NHS, things that increase your chances of getting melanoma include your age and having pale skin, a large number of moles and a family history of skin cancer.

With that in mind, check out the eight other warning signs when it comes to skin cancer:

1. Mole with a mix of colours
2. Large mole
3. Mole that changes over time
4. Swollen mole
5. Bleeding mole
6. Itchy mole
7. Crusty mole
8. Mole in the shape of a line under a nail

For women, the most common location for melanoma in the UK is the legs.

Men are more likely to get the disease in their trunk, back or torso.

Will Maule