Skin cancer: Dr Chris outlines the signs of a melanoma
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In one episode, Nicholls’ character Audrey dressed extra revealing in a sleeveless nightie to impress Lewis Archer, the man who was in her love triangle at the time, played by Nigel Havers. But from her choice of attire, something far better happened for Audrey– her life was potentially saved.
It just so happened that one of the people watching Corrie was a qualified nurse who noticed something about Audrey that millions of other viewers didn’t.
The star had a mole on her shoulder that was a “red-flag” for one of the most deadly forms of cancer.
“I noticed it was irregular in shape and had at least three different colours that I could distinguish by standing close to the television,” recalled Anna Bianconi-Moore, a dermatology nurse at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge, talking to the Daily Mail.
“These are two of the red-flag signals that distinguish the most deadly form of skin cancer – malignant melanoma.”
The nurse didn’t just sit on her laurels though; the professional’s caring instincts kicked in and she reached out to ITV to warn Nicholls.
“I was obviously incredibly worried for Sue, and felt I needed to do something.
“I wrote that I had observed a sinister-looking lesion and suggested that Sue should see a specialist, sooner rather than later, as it may require urgent attention.”
As the nurse pointed out, malignant melanomas are incredibly dangerous–responsible for the deaths of around 2,300 Brits a year, according to Cancer research.
After visiting the doctors, the actress was referred to a skin cancer specialist and plastic surgeon who removed the mole.
It turned out Moore’s initial on-screen diagnosis was right.
In the end, according to an ITV press statement, after a year of having the mole removed by specialists, it was confirmed that Nicholls did in-fact have a malignant melanoma.
“Whilst millions watched the same scene in their living rooms at home, specialist skin care nurse Anna was able to diagnose the blemish as malignant melanoma after pausing the TV and taking a closer look,” ITV wrote.
Luckily, we can all reduce the risk of melanoma and other types of skin cancer which are linked to ultraviolet (UV) light exposure.
Since UV naturally comes from the sun, you want to make sure you’re wearing sunscreen when it’s sunny, according to Mayo Clinic.
You should also avoid tanning lamps and beds which emit UV light, increasing the risk of the condition.
Other things you can do to reduce the risk of the condition are:
- Wear protective clothing, such as tightly woven clothing covering arms and legs
- Become familiar with your skin and be quick to react when you have new moles.
In the end, Nicholls and her possible life saver Moore met up after a show later on after the ordeal.
“The two finally met on the Coronation Street set at the end of May so Sue could thank her in person – for potentially saving her life,” ITV stated.
The type of moles that indicate melanomas usually have irregular borders, an asymmetrical shape, and are larger than a quarter of an inch, states Mayo Clinic.
They also may have an uneven colour and change over time.
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