Strange Lines On Thumb Of 58-Year-Old Mom Turned Out To Be Skin Cancer; Do You Know The Screening Guidelines

Speaking to Kennedy News and Media in a recent interview, according to The Sun, the mom said, “The first time I noticed it [the mark] was in September. I usually get my nails done every four weeks so I don’t know how long it has been there but my nails grow pretty quickly because I have really good nutrition.

“It could have been in there for six months, it could have been in there for longer, I have no idea.”

She explained further, “I took some photos of the lines and then I decided to get my nails done. I then saw them again in October [when I got my nails done again] and the lines hadn’t grown out.

“The lines were continuing to come from the base of the nail so I thought I should get it checked out. I found out around Thanksgiving that it was melanoma.”

Tagliamonte said the dermatologist noticed there was “discoloration at the base of my thumb nail and whatever was causing this black line in my nail was coming from inside the growth plate down from inside my nail.”

She continued, “I was very confident it was nothing so when I got the diagnosis I was very shocked it was melanoma. The nail appointment absolutely saved my life. I am glad that I noticed it and then I pursued to get it checked out.”

RELATED: Check Your Fingernails. If You Have This Oddity, You May Be at Higher Risk of Cancer, New Study Says— Understanding BAP1 tumor Predisposition Syndrome

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A post shared by Michelle LaRose Tagliamonte (@michelletagliamonte)

Tagliamonte said the melanoma was found in her thumb’s growth plate and down to her knuckle, adding, “This is where they had to cut out and they had to create a skin graft so when they had to dig out the melanoma, the bone and the tendon was exposed so they had to put some flesh back in it.

“The skin graft was pretty invasive. I will never have a thumb nail ever again but if I had let it go, I might have lost the tip of my thumb or worse so I am very grateful and it is healing well.”

Now she’s warning anyone with something that looks questionable on their body to see a doctor and get checked.

She has since remained hopeful and aspires to spread skin cancer awareness by sharing her story.

Tagliamonte also took to her Instagram page to thank her loved ones for all their support through this arduous time.

She wrote alongside a photo of herself giving a thumb’s up, “I’ll spare you all the gory pics- but wanted to say thank you for the prayers and support on Friday as I had my surgery. I literally FELT the calming presence of God through your prayers. (My nurse was amazed at how low my BP was before they put me under).

“I’m still feeling your prayers as I rest and learn how to be patient with myself and the inability to use my right hand for the time being. I know my husband and daughters are feeling them too as I’m depending on them for just about everything lol. Thanks for all the love!”

As for her recovery, she wrote in another post, “Every day, I’m so grateful that I see my thumb and hand healing. I truly believe that my rapid and complete healing is due to the fact that I’ve worked so hard to take such good care of myself for all these years and I’ve been so fortunate to be able to do that.

“It’s never too late to start. Just take that next right step! I did, and I will do it again every day that I wake up. Because every day is a new day.”

What to Look for When Checking Your Nails for Cancer

When it comes to examining yourself for skin cancer, it’s natural (and obvious) to check your skin and moles. But check your finger and toenails for signs of skin cancer, too.

When checking your nails for melanoma skin cancer, look for the following indicators:

• Dark streak: This could look like a brown or black band in the nail, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, oftentimes on the thumb or big toe of your dominant hand or foot. But a dark streak can show up on any nail.
• Dark skin next to your nail: When the skin around your nail becomes darker, it could be a sign of advanced melanoma.
• Nail lifting from your fingers or toes: When this happens, your nail starts to separate from the nail bed; the white free edge at the top of your nail will start to look longer as the nail lifts.
• Nail splitting
• Nodule or bump under your nails: It’s possible that you could also see a band of color on your nail; it could be wide and irregular, or dark and narrow.

Related: Get Your Moles Evaluated to Rule Out Melanoma

Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon and associate at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, previously told SurvivorNet it’s also possible that getting your nails done at the salon could increase skin cancer risk.

“The reality is, if we have our hands or feet under these ultraviolet lamps without protection, we’re exposing the dorsum of the hands or foot, the skin around the nails, to this UV light,”  she said. “That, over time, can increase our risk of skin cancer.”

Related: Myth Busting: My Fingernails Have Streaks … Do I Have Cancer?

Nail Color Isn’t Itself an Indication of Melanoma or Other Skin Cancers

If you see one or any of these indications of skin cancer when examining your nails, don’t jump to the conclusion that you have cancer. (But Dr. Engelman noted that any pigmented streaking of the fingernail should be evaluated by a doctor.)

“Subungual melanoma is a rare and often deadly type of melanoma,” Dr. Engelman said. “This specific type of melanoma that occurs under the nail has fairly classic clinical findings, with linear, darkly pigmented streaking of the nail and involvement of proximal nail fold or cuticle.”

However, Dr. Engelman added, nail color isn’t itself an indication of subungual melanoma, nor a reason to believe you may have other types of melanoma.

“Determining one’s risk factor for melanoma solely on the color of the nail plate is neither helpful nor vetted in science,” she said. “There are many causative factors that can lead to discoloration in the nail. Melanoma of the nail does not mean nor predict that you will have melanoma elsewhere on the body, either.”

So, while some fingernails streaks may be a sign of this one specific type of melanoma, fingernails aren’t an indicator of overall skin health. It’s important to be alert for other signs and symptoms, too, and get regular checks by your dermatologist.

Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Skin From Skin Cancer

How to Protect Your Skin

Dr. Engelman said that protecting your skin is easy with these simple steps:

• Sun avoidance during peak hours: This means from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It doesn’t mean you should never go outside during the middle of the day, but make sure you’re protected when you go outdoors.
• Cover your skin and eyes: Wearing a wide brim hat or sunglasses will protect your face, the top of your head, your ears and the delicate skin around your eyes.
• Wear an SPF of 30 or higher: Plenty of facial moisturizers have SPF built into them. Dr. Engelman recommends reapplying every few hours, or after excessive sweating or swimming.
• Get an annual skin check: If you happen to notice anything out of the ordinary in between checks (like the signs outlined in this article), schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
• No-go to tanning beds: Tanning beds can significantly increase your risk of developing melanoma. If you feel like you’re just too pale, Dr. Engelman recommends a sunless tanner.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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