No one knows the ABCDE rule, yet it allows you to spot a suspicious mole in a few seconds.
Sometimes, skin cancer can appear in a mole. This is usually melanoma, the rarest type of skin cancer (10% of cases) but the most serious. In France, nearly 18,000 cases were diagnosed in 2023. Melanoma was responsible for nearly 2,000 deaths in 2018.
Like all cancers, the earlier melanoma is detected, the better the prognosis; hence the importance of detecting it as early as possible. In addition to frequent visits to a healthcare professional—preferably a dermatologist—it is recommended to examine your skin regularly. "Skin self-examination is recommended once every three months, especially if you have one or more risk factors for "melanoma," according to the Health Insurance , such as fair skin, numerous moles, a personal or family history of skin cancer, and numerous sunburns during childhood.
But how do you self-examine? First, you need to find yourself in a well-lit room with a full-length mirror and a handheld mirror. Then, you need to undress completely and inspect your entire body. First, you should examine visible areas like your arms and legs with the naked eye, then the entire body with a full-length mirror, and then the more difficult-to-reach areas with a handheld mirror. Don't forget your face, ears, nails, and scalp. Don't hesitate to ask a loved one for help and take photos of your body to see how it's changed over time.
Any lesion, spot, or mole on the skin should be inspected. A lesion that doesn't heal or a spot that grows may be a sign of skin cancer. For moles (old or new), the "ABCDE" rule can be used to identify suspicious signs.
- A for Asymmetry: a mole that is neither round nor oval, "which presents colors and reliefs that are not regularly distributed around its center," specifies the National Union of Dermatologists-Venereologists in a press release.
- B for Edges: The edges of the mole are irregular or poorly defined.
- C for Color: the mole has several colors and is not uniform.
- D for Diameter: the mole increases in size, it is more than 6 mm.
- E for Evolution: The mole has rapidly changed in size, shape, color, or thickness.
If a mole has one or more of these signs, it "does not necessarily mean the presence of melanoma but justifies seeking medical advice from a dermatologist without delay," recommends the French Dermatologists' Union. Self-examination is one of the measures for preventing skin cancer, in addition to regular visits to a dermatologist and, of course, sun protection, which is the cause of almost all skin cancers.
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