Dr Amir's ABCDE check that could 'save your life'

Dr Amir's ABCDE check that could 'save your life' This simple check could help identify signs of cancer A doctor has shared a simple alphabet-based checklist that could “save your life”. This technique is used for spotting any signs of melanoma skin cancer. According to statistics from Cancer Research UK, melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK. There are around 19,400 new diagnoses made of the disease every year. What makes melanoma skin cancer especially deadly is the fact that it can spread to other parts of the body. Its main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. As with any disease, the sooner you spot any potential symptoms, the sooner you can seek the treatment you need. With this in mind, Doctor Amir Khan, known for his regular appearances on ITV shows such as Lorraine, explained more. Speaking on his podcast No Appointment Necessary with co-host Cherry Healey, Dr Amir shared something known as the ABCDE criteria. You should use this when looking at any moles on your body, as it could indicate whether they are cancerous or not. Dr Amir said: “So we use a criteria called the ABCDE criteria when we’re looking at moles.” Each letter in the sequence stands for a word that describes a potentially dangerous mole. Asymmetrical If the mole isn’t the same on either side, it can be “worrying”. Dr Amir said: “So is it asymmetrical? “If it is, that's slightly more worrying. If it's symmetrical, less worrying.” Border You should be wary if the border of your mole is “irregular. He said: “So is the border of your mole regular? “If it's regular, nice and smooth, less worrying. If it's irregular, more worrying.” Colour If the mole is made up of different colours it is worth getting it checked. “So is the colour uniform all the way through - less worrying,” he said. “If it changes colour in parts of it, more worrying.” Diameter He continued: “If it's less than half a centimetre, less worrying. If it's more than half a centimetre, more worrying.” Evolving If your mole is evolving over time it could be dangerous. Dr Amir said: “So has it changed, has it grown, has it become itchy, has it bled, has it evolved over time? “That is more worrying.” When to see a doctor Dr Amir added: “Generally, if there's two or more of those things going on in that ABCDE I would send that person to a dermatologist to, to have it looked at.” His ABCDE checklist is also promoted by Cancer Research UK, on the charity’s website here. However, it warned that if you have brown or black skin a melanoma might be more difficult to spot, and might not show any of the ABCD signs.