Doctor who diagnosed his own cancer shares 'unsuspecting' warning sign to watch out for

A doctor who diagnosed his own skin cancer has spoken about the main warning sign people should be wary of. Dr Muneeb Shah, a board certified dermatologist, was 31-years-old when he noticed a spot on his chest in 2021, which was later confirmed to be a common type of skin cancer.

The health expert, who shares educational skincare videos on social media and boasts 90 million followers on TikTok, spoke to Refinery29 about the moment he knew something wasn't quite right. It was during his dermatology training that he saw the spot on his chest - a time when he was learning how to identify skin cancer in patients.

"It didn’t look scary - it was simply a pink, itchy bump that could be mistaken for a pimple or an ingrown hair," he said. "I kept an eye on it, and one day when I happened to scratch it, the surface came off easily and it started to bleed."

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Dr Shah tried to look at it closer with his phone and a dermatoscope. "That’s when I started to think maybe this is skin cancer," he recalled.

The spot remained on his chest for two months before he got it checked via a biopsy. A biopsy is a medical procedure where a small sample of tissue or cells is taken from the body to be examined under a microscope.

This procedure helps doctors find out if there is a disease present, such as cancer, infections, or inflammatory conditions. "My top suspicion was that this was going to be a basal cell skin cancer (the most common form of skin cancer) or squamous cell skin cancer (the second most common form of skin cancer, which starts as a growth of cells)," he said.

"I tend to give counselling to the patient before I know the diagnosis, so I was doing that to myself in a way. It took three days for the results to come back and it was as I had suspected: a basal cell skin cancer".

There are a couple of treatment options skin cancer patients can choose from, including topical treatments, electrodesiccation and curettage and Mohs surgery. Dr Shah decided on the latter, explaining: "I wanted Mohs surgery (a controlled surgery used to remove skin cancer) so that it was completely gone, because I knew the worst case scenario."

He says his recovery wasn't too painful, but the wound was in the middle of his chest. His stiches became infected and he needed antibiotics. He has been left with a post-surgery scar, about 5cm long.

Since his diagnosis, Dr Shah has been particular about looking after his skin and checking for moles and irregularities often. He also wears sunscreen every day.

"For men, the most common site for skin cancer is the back and for women it’s the legs. These areas are more challenging to see, so it’s always important to check your body," he said.

The three main types of skin cancer are:

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): The most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about two out of three cases

• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): Accounts for about one in three cases

• Melanoma: Accounts for about one in 100 cases, but is more likely to spread to other parts of the body

According to the NHS, A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be a sign of melanoma. This is a more serious type of skin cancer. Cancer Research UK says you should see a GP if:

• a spot or sore that doesn't heal within 4 weeks

• a spot or sore that hurts, is itchy, crusty, scabs over, or bleeds for more than 4 weeks

• areas where the skin has broken down (an ulcer) and doesn't heal within 4 weeks, and you can't think of a reason for this change

What to look out for

• A sore that doesn't heal: The sore can look see through, shiny and pink or pearly white. It can also look red. It may feel sore, rough and have raised edges.

• Ulcer: Look out for an area of skin that has broken down (an ulcer) and doesn't heal within 4 weeks, and you can't think of a reason for this change.

• A lump: This might be small, slow growing, shiny and pink or red.

• Red patches on your skin: These red patches could also be itchy. This could be due to other non cancerous skin conditions. But get it checked to make sure.

• Freckles or moles: A change to a mole or freckle can be a sign of another type of skin cancer called melanoma.

Some melanomas develop from existing moles. The rest grow on what was previously normal skin. See your doctor if you notice a:

• new abnormal mole

• mole that seems to be growing or changing

• change to a previously normal patch of skin

Your doctor can decide if you need tests or a referral to see a specialist. For more information, visit Cancer Research UK and NHS websites.