‘I have a little cry now and then about what could have happened if the cancer wasn’t caught in time’

Leona Smith knows only too well the importance of keeping an eye on changes to moles and skin tags as, four years ago, she noticed a change and immediately went to see her GP.

Although it was dismissed as “nothing serious”, it changed further and so she insisted on having it removed.

“Back in the summer of 2018, I noticed that a mole on my stomach had changed and something was growing out of it,” she says.

“Being a cautious person, I went to my doctor and he told me that it looked like a skin tag and there was nothing to worry about. But over the course of the following year, it started to change again. It had become redder in colour with patches of dry skin, so I decided that regardless of whether or not it was serious, I wanted it to be gone.

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“So in June 2019 I made another appointment with my doctor for the mole to be removed. He looked concerned when he saw it and sent it off to be tested. The results came back a few weeks later and, in July, I received a text from the doctor’s surgery asking me to make an appointment to see him.”

The Dublin woman, who is married to Dave and has two children – Holly and Lauren – says she was shocked and upset when told she had skin cancer.

“I had moles removed in the past and they all came back normal, so I thought this one would be the same,” she says. “I remember receiving the news that I had melanoma [stage two skin cancer], I sat there and sobbed.

“My thoughts immediately went to my children and I feared the worst. I made an appointment with a specialist (plastic surgeon) to have a wider incision and a sentinel node biopsy to make sure that the cancer hadn’t spread – and the time to wait [for results] felt like an eternity. All the while I was worrying about what the outcome would be. I would find myself looking at my family and wondering how much time I had with them and if the cancer had spread or not.

“So I remember the day the specialist called me to say it hadn’t spread. I cried tears of joy and relief. I was so relieved, grateful and lucky.

“That was a few years ago now and every now and then I have a little cry when I think about what could have happened if things weren’t caught on time and I sometimes worry that it will come back. But I make sure to have regular check-ups now to keep an eye on the other moles.”

There are two main types of skin cancer, non-melanoma and melanoma. The former is the most common and accounts for up to 12,000 cases diagnosed.

Non-melanomas, which include basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, tend to grow in areas of the body which have had a lot of exposure to the sun (such as the face, neck, head and arms) and is more common amongst older people.

Melanoma, on the other hand, is much more serious. And although quite rare, it is being diagnosed in more and more people each year and affects all ages.

It is one of the most serious forms of skin cancer but, if spotted early, it is very treatable – if not, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious medical issues.

Prof Shirley Potter, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, says while melanoma is one of the most aggressive human cancers, it is also one of the most preventable.

“Each year we get approximately 1,300 cases on the island of Ireland and it’s currently the fourth most common cancer, with its incidence expected to rise significantly over the next few years to become the second most common cancer by 2040,” she says.

“But if melanoma is picked up early it is almost always curable. Approximately 25 per cent [of cases] arise from pre-existing moles which change, and 75 per cent are a new lesion which develops on the skin.

“Signs to look out for in a mole can be summarised by the ABCDE Code: Asymmetry, Border which is irregular, Colour change, Diameter over 6mm and Elevation above the skin. Itching and bleeding from a mole are also worth highlighting – so if someone is worried, they should attend their GP. And sun protection measures, such as the regular use of SPF 50 when the UV index is 3 and above, are crucial to the prevention of melanoma.”

Leona, who runs her own pre-school, says that in the past she spent a lot of time in the sun and whenever the weather was good enough, she would be lying out on a lounger or, when she was younger, using sunbeds to get a tan.

She says that because she rarely got sunburnt and tanned well, she didn’t think she was in any risk. But now she does her utmost to stay out of the harmful rays of the sun.

“One of my biggest regrets is that I wasn’t cautious when it came to sun safety,” says the 44-year-old. “Whenever the sun came out, I did too as I loved having a tan. I foolishly thought it made me look healthy when in fact it was quite the opposite.”

Nine out of every 10 cases are caused by UV rays from the sun or sunbeds and, according to the Irish Cancer Society, over exposure to UV rays, which leads to tanning, redness or burning of the skin, causes damage to skin cells. While much of this damage is repaired, some will remain and can lead to skin cancer later in life.

About Skin Cancer

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland
• There are two main types of skin cancer, Non-melanoma skin cancers and Melanoma skin cancer.
• Melanoma is one of the most serious forms of skin cancer but, if spotted early, it is very treatable. If not, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious medical issues.
• There are several risk factors for skin cancer, including having pale or freckled skin which does not tan or burns before it tans. People with naturally red or fair hair and blue, green or grey eyes are also of a higher risk. A large proportion of the Irish population falls into these categories and this is why skin cancer is so prevalent here and why being SunSmart is so important.
• If you notice any changes in your skin or something that does not go away after a month, have it checked by your GP, including:

1. A small lump that is smooth, pearly or waxy
2. A flat, red spot that is scaly, crusty or bleeding
3. A lump that is firm, scaly or has a crusted surface, and may be sore
4. Rough, scaly or irregular patches of skin
5. A new or changing mole

• Many skin changes are harmless but if you do have skin cancer, spotting it early could save your life. It’s a good idea to get to know what is normal for your skin.
• Examine yourself from head to toe every month. Stand in front of a long mirror and use a hand mirror to check body parts that are hard to see.