A woman was shocked to learn that a spot on her hip that she thought was a birthmark was a deadly cancer.
Ilia Smith, 42, of Dallas, Texas, didn’t think much of the black spot until it started itching and bleeding in 2020. After getting it checked out by a doctor, she found out it was 2b melanoma — a form of the most dangerous type of skin cancer.
Mrs. Smith’s friend pointed out the mark to her in 2009, worried it was cancer, but she believed her risk was minimal because she was African-American.
Only one in 100,000 black people will develop skin cancer, compared to 30 in 100,000 whites. This is due to the protection that comes with extra melanin, the pigment that gives dark skin its color.
Ilia Smith (pictured), 42, discovered a mole she thought was a birthmark was actually skin cancer when she scratched it and it started bleeding in 2020. Her friend had previously warned her about the spot
A biopsy confirmed that Mrs. Smith suffered from melanoma. She had to have three inches of skin removed down to 4 inches deep to get rid of the cancer. The woman also needed plastic surgery to restore the skin
Ms Smith, who works as a nurse, says she is now careful when she goes out into the sun.
‘That was my thing. I just loved being out in the sun and getting that vitamin D and that relaxation with my headphones,” Ms Smith shared TODAY.
At the end of 2020, the place started to itch. One day Mrs. Smith scratched the spot and part of it broke off and she started bleeding.
She remembered a warning she had received from her friend Tracee Blackburn more than a decade ago.
Mrs. Blackburn had a background in dermatology and pointed out to Mrs. Smith that the birthmark looked dangerous.
However, the nurse wrote off the warning. She had always believed it was an innocent birthmark.
The bleeding from the mark worried her and she chose to have it checked by a doctor.
A biopsy, a test in which a small piece of tissue is examined in the lab, was performed and the woman was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma.
Overall, there are about 5.4 million cases of skin cancer in the US each year, with 9,500 people dying from the disease. These cases often develop in existing moles.
White people, the elderly, and those who don’t have skin cancer are most at risk — because of their weaker immune systems and lighter pigment.
Melanoma is responsible for about 8,000 of these deaths each year, despite only accounting for 90,000 cases.
The cancer develops when melanocytes in the skin begin to grow out of control, creating a tumor that can interfere with bodily functions.
This often happens due to excessive UV radiation from the sun damaging the DNA of melanocytes, opening the door for a cancerous mutation.
If caught early, the cancer is relatively harmless and can be removed quickly.
But melanoma can spread if it goes undetected. Cancer cells can find their way into the bloodstream and settle in other parts of the body.
When this happens, the cancer begins to spread to other parts of the body – called metastasis.
At this point, surgically removing the cancer is challenging. A person will instead be subjected to treatment such as chemotherapy, which comes with serious side effects.
Ms Smith (right) now takes extra precaution in the sun and is regularly screened for skin cancer as she is at increased risk of the disease returning
Fortunately for Mrs. Smith, her cancer had not spread. She had to have surgery to remove a piece of skin 3 centimeters in size and 4.5 centimeters deep, which helped her get rid of the disease.
She needed plastic surgery to restore the removed skin.
But she will now have to live with caution in the sun for the rest of her life as she is at increased risk of the disease returning, according to the American Cancer Society.
Ms Smith says she is now checked four times a year for pimples and other signs of skin cancer.
She wears SPF 50 sunscreen and protective gear when she goes for a run regularly.
In addition to sunscreen, she also wears a hat and sunglasses when she is at the pool.
Now she wants others to take some of the same steps to ensure they avoid a similar run-in with cancer.
“Look at yourself. Don’t let those little moles or birthmarks or freckles change, because those are the things you want to watch out for,” Ms Smith said.