Your feet are susceptible to a variety of cancers and tumors, both benign and malignant, just like any other part of your body. Detecting the obvious and not so obvious signs of cancer in the early stages is extremely important to successful treatment. Regular foot inspections with your podiatrist to check for unusual changes are a great way to be proactive.

Some of the skin cancers that can affect your feet include the following:

• Kaposi’s sarcoma—This is cancer that typically shows up as reddish, purplish, or brown lesions on the surface of the skin that indicate an out-of-control growth of tissue that is happening underneath. Some patients experience little to no pain with these tumors while others may be sidelined with horrible pain.
• Malignant melanoma—This type of cancer is not very common, but it is extremely invasive and difficult to treat, which is why it results in two-thirds of all skin cancer fatalities. This cancer grows inward, and it is largely undetectable until it has spread to other parts of the body.
• Squamous cell carcinoma—This cancer begins in the upper epidermal skin cells and can appear as a pinkish bump with a crusty, rough surface. It can often feature a spike-like horn that sticks up.
• Basal cell carcinoma—This cancer can first appear as a shiny white, or pink bump with a shimmering or waxy appearance. As it slowly grows, the bump may become covered in a crust that may bleed. Since there is usually no pain associated with these types of cancerous ulcers, so visionary vigilance is essential in catching them before they can spread.

Just as with the skin on other parts of your body, check for unusual swelling or abnormal looking growths on the skin of your feet. Make an appointment with your foot specialist at the first sign of anything worrisome looking. At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists can help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems: sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high-quality podiatric care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.