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Chris Bryant has been an MP for over 20 years and served as Deputy Leader of the Commons. Experience which would prepare anyone for a few ups and downs, although not for the life changes brought by skin cancer.
The video shows the treatment required to remove a melanoma which was discovered fairly late, neither did this prove to be the end of the problem.
Another melanoma was found several years later, on Mr Bryant’s lung. Rather than lung cancer as such, this is a rare case of melanoma in the lung, showing how melanoma can spread within the body.
Mr Bryant’s is continuing to undergo treatment and his message to the public is about awareness, “If you’re in doubt about a mole, get it checked out.”
Creating Recognition
The melanoma you see in the image above is a temporary tattoo. They were devised to improve medical student’s understanding of malignant melanoma diagnosis, although can be put to additional uses.
Farmers attending the 2024 Balmoral show were encouraged to wear them, thanks to Action Cancer, The Agri Rural Health forum and an individual farmer.
Aidan McKay wants to see everyone working on the land become more aware of risks to our health from the sun. He is a stage 4 melanoma patient and needed to give up farming, to focus on complex treatment.
Thinking his melanoma could be a blood blister, or bite, he ignored this for several months. Sufficient time for the melanoma to develop into what Aidan rightly describes as “a nasty, nasty cancer.”
Taking Prompt Action
Whether walking to the Commons, across farmland, or going on holiday, we all need to protect ourselves. Sunscreen, protective clothing and time in the shade matter, although so does acting when you see a possible problem.
Having a mole, or unusual lesion checked out will not take long. A consultant at a specialist clinic can normally provide prompt insight and where further investigation is needed, the latest confocal microscopy may set aside a need for a biopsy.
In a busy world, finding time is rarely easy but skin cancer is a condition where early detection makes a huge difference. Early stage melanoma cure rates are close to 100% but this is not the case when they are allowed to progress.
If you are in the London area, our skin cancer treatment centre will be happy to help but wherever you are, please seek advice if you find an unexplained skin issue.