Cancer, no matter where it is found, can be devastating. Common cancers are breast cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, and blood disorders, but cancer can be found in moles and on the skin on the feet and lower extremities.
The last place you might think to look for moles or skin cancer is on the feet, especially on the bottom of the foot. Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the foot and toes, even underneath toenails.
Melanoma Statistics as of 2008:
- 62,480 new cases of skin cancer due to melanoma
- 8,420 deaths associated with skin cancer
- Fastest increase of cancer in young women (ages 15 to 39) in the U.S.
- Survival rate for melanoma elsewhere on the body is 80-85%, but lower extremity melanoma has a lower than average survival rate
- 1/2 of all people diagnosed with melanoma of the foot die within 5 years of late diagnosis (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
What Can You Do?
Do a thorough foot check every time you cut your toenails:
- moles
- tops of feet
- soles of feet
- underneath toenails
- between toes
Look for changes in:
- Moles
- Freckles
- Spots
- Nail growth
- Nail discoloration
- Skin discoloration
- Sores
Protect your feet:
- Apply sunscreen EVERYWHERE: top, bottom and between toes
- Keep feet covered
- At the beach, wear water shoes to minimize sun exposure
- UV rays are strongest between 10am and 2pm, minimize sun exposure during this time
Citation:
Other health conditions. Foot Care Basics (2009), 2009, p33-37, 5p, 4 Color. Retrieved from Consumer Health Complete.
Image by MichaelKuhn_pics. (2009). O18_365_Skin cancer. Flickr. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelkuhnphotos/3696016449/
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