Couples are more likely to spot THIS killer cancer because they see each other naked
ROMANTIC relationships aren't just good for our ego - they're also beneficial to our physical health, experts claim.
It could even prove life-saving, say experts who found having a significant other can be a major advantage when it comes to detecting skin cancer and troublesome moles.
The findings by boffins at the in Chicago, was based on experiments involving nearly 500 people.
They were split into two groups - those with skin examination training and those without.
Researchers found the former detected more potential problems in their partners - and became increasingly vigilant as time progressed over the two-year period.
Experts say this is particularly useful because many potentially fatal melanomas appear in areas of the body where it's both difficult to see and apply sunscreen.
These include behind the ears and the surrounding skin on a person's bottom.
Dr June Robinson, lead author of the study, published in JAMA Dermatology, said: "These aren't parts of the body that most females like to have examined by their male partner, but at some point, they realised they're just looking at the moles, not the cellulite.
"As they each grow more confident in their decision-making, the trust between them becomes stronger.
"When the trust is there, there's no issue with embarrassment."
The findings also showed that when checking moles, men and women's talents for spotting different warning signs complement one another.
Men tend to notice mole border irregularities better than women, whereas women tend to see colour variations in the moles better than men.
"The pairs realise 'We need to help each other here'," Dr Robinson said.
"If he sees borders better and she sees colours better, those two heads are better than one when finding the irregularities."
The news comes as skin cancer remains the fifth most common form of the disease in the UK.
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Over the last ten years malignant melanoma frequency rates have increased by almost half – with this increase being larger in males (around three-fifths) than females (over a third).
In 2013, there were around 14,500 new cases of malignant melanoma in the UK – around 40 every day.
Experts also recently discovered that the average age at diagnosis was younger for higher-risk patients, compared with those patients at lower risk.
Interestingly, higher-risk patients with many moles were more likely to have melanoma on their torso, those with a family history were more likely to have melanomas on the limbs and those with a personal history were more likely to have melanoma on their head and neck, the study also found.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SKIN CANCER?
- A spot or sore
- Ulcer
- A lump
- Red patches on your skin
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?
- Age, the older you are, the more likely you are to develop non melanoma skin cancer.
- Previous skin cancer
- Family history of skin cancer
- Sun exposure
- Certain skin conditions, such as solar keratosis, xeroderma pigmentosum, and those undergoing treatment for Psoriasis or eczema.
- Other risks include, those with a weakened immune system or past radiation exposure
TYPE OF SKIN CANCER
MELANOMA
Melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, but is most common on the back, legs, arms and face.
They can spread to other organs in the body – which makes them more deadly.
The most common indication of melanoma is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole.
Watch out for moles that are:
- Getting bigger
- Changing shape
- Changing colour
- Bleeding or getting crusty
- Itchy or painful
BASAL CELL CANCERS
Basal cell cancer (BCC) is sometimes referred to as a rodent ulcer.
The disease affects the outermost layers of cells in the skin.
Signs of BCCs, include a skin growth that:
- Looks smooth and pearly
- Seems waxy
- Looks like a firm, red lump
- Sometimes bleeds
- Develops a scab or crust
- Never completely heals
- Is itchy
- Looks like a flat red spot and is scaly and crusty
- Develops into a painless ulcer
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
Another form of non-melanoma, skin cancer, is squamous cell carcinoma.
This is a cancer of the keratinocyte cells which are in the outer layer of the skin.
These cells are mainly found on the face, neck, bald scalps, arms, backs of hands and lower legs.
It is the second most common type of skin cancer and may:
- Appear scaly
- Have a hard, crusty cap
- Raised skin
- Tender to touch
- Bleed sometimes
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