By Dylan Hostetter
One out of five people run the risk of developing a form of skin cancer by age 70, according to SkinCancer.org, a statistic that underscores the importance of routine trips to the dermatologist and at-home checks.
Skin cancer comes in many different shapes and sizes, commonly emerging on the head, face, neck, and back areas as nonhealing, abnormal growths or lesions sometimes resembling discolored, misshapen moles. However, it can appear in more unusual places like inside the ear and on the tongue and lips.
Routine checks can determine the difference between a benign mole and a cancerous growth using the simple “ABCDEs of melanoma.” Dr. Erin Adams, owner and board-certified dermatologist of Midlothian Dermatology, explains the acronym “stands for Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color change, Diameter enlargement, and Evolution over time.”
The two most common skin cancers are carcinomas—basal cell and squamous cell. Both form in the skin’s epidermis and treatment is usually successful. Melanomas, the third most common type of skin cancer, can spread to other parts of the body, but if caught early, they can sometimes be treated successfully.
Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley was diagnosed with ALM—acral lentiginous melanoma—that was found under his toenail. Sadly, it metastasized, and he died at age 36. Jimmy Buffett was diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, which he battled for four years before his death in 2023.
In addition to noting the ABCDEs of skin cancer, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends frequent self-screenings and regular checkups.
This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue.
