Skin cancer, melanoma risk higher in people with more than 11 moles on each arm: study

Skin cancer, specifically melanoma, is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Since 2012, it has affected almost 70,000 people annually, of which more than 9,000 have died due to unawareness. However, all of these may change as a new British study uncovered that having more than 11 moles on one arm meant an increase chance of getting the disease.

BBC News reports that according to the research done at the King's College London, more moles on the arm indicate a higher risk. In fact, if a person has more than a hundred mole all-over his body, it means he has five times higher chances than those with a lower mole count. The researchers believe this biomarker can make it easier for physicians and general practitioners to identify those people who are endangered of getting melanoma.

Moles can give people signs that they are suffering from skin cancer. Most moles are brownish in color, circular or oval with a smooth edge and completely harmless. However, if people start noticing any abnormalities such as uneven or changes in hue, edges, itchiness, enlargement or bleeding, it might be an indication of cancer and should be checked by a physician immediately.

To test their conclusion, the researchers sought help from St. Thomas Hospital in London to analyze the records of 3500 healthy twins, The Daily Mail UK writes. Nurses were tasked to count the moles of the participants, following a pattern of 17 areas, of which the arm became the basis of standard as more moles seen on this part will most likely result to more moles on the entire body. Similarly, legs and the back are also good indicators but as physicians can easily examine the arms, it became the chosen body part.

Dermatologist and co-author Dr. Veronique Bataille shares that with this research, general practitioners may be able to "ring alarm bells" in patients who have a higher mole count and help get an early diagnosis and intervention. Dr. Simeone Ribero, the lead study, said, "The findings could have a significant impact for primary care, allowing GPs to more accurately estimate the total number of moles in a patient extremely quickly via an easily accessible body part. This would mean that more patients at risk of melanoma can be identified and monitored.”

The Cancer Research UK praises the study for helping raise awareness in people, The Guardian adds. Presence of many moles means very active skin cells, making these people more prone to developing cancer.

The study was published in the Journal of Dermatology.