Mollie and Michael - Mole Detectives

by Shelley White

Mollie and Michael are mole detectives. Today they’ve been asked to speak about their jobs at the local community centre.

‘Hi folks. I’m Mollie and I’m a mole detective.’

‘Hello friends. I’m Michael and I’m a mole detective. Together we run the Mollie and Michael Mole Detective Agency.’

‘You all know what moles are, don’t you? We’re talking about the moles most people have on their skin – not the moles that live underground!’

‘Very funny, Mollie, I must say. They’re not stupid. They know that skin moles are small dark marks, flat or slightly raised.’

‘Yes, but they might not know that there’s two kinds of skin mole – the ones you’re born with or congenital moles, and the ones that develop. The ones that develop are more common and sometimes they can be nasty.’

‘Nasty? I’ll say! If those moles want to be really nasty, they burrow into the skin and try to spread round the body. That’s why it’s so important to catch them quickly.’

‘That’s right, Michael. Listen, folks, we’ve devoted our whole lives to checking out moles for any unusual changes. We know that there’s a kind of skin cancer called malignant melanoma that’s often characterised by a change in the normal look or feel of a skin mole.’

‘Mollie, you’ve mentioned the word with the big ‘C’. You’ll start them panicking.’

‘Look, they need to be aware of it. They need to know as well that there’re two main types of melanoma, dome shaped and flat. The dome shaped ones are more common.’

‘What we need to impress on you people is if you think your mole has changed, don’t panic. It doesn’t necessarily mean a cancer has developed – but if it has, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.’

‘Too right. If malignant melanoma is found early and treated quickly, it’s curable.’

‘Learn to be mole watchers, like Mollie and me. It’s easy. All you have to do is look out for the signs.’

‘We’ll show you what we mean. I’ll read out some extracts from our mole detective agency diary for last week. Each one of the clients I’m going to mention had a suspicious mole and was advised to see a doctor.’

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Sunday. Client: Mr Growmore

This middle-aged man showed us a mole on his back he’d had for years. In the UK male population, the most common site for melanoma is on the back. His wife had been keeping an eye on it and was sure that it was growing larger. He also had a new mole that had started to grow. Moles don’t usually develop after the age of 40 years. Noticed he had many normal moles too – lots more than 30 which is the average for most adults.

Monday. Client: Mrs Wragged

Her mole was growing on her lower leg – the most common site for melanoma in women in the UK. Her mole had a ragged outline. Normal moles are a smooth, regular shape. She told us her mother had had malignant melanoma. This rang alarm bells. If your mother, father, sister or brother have had a history of melanoma and you have a non-typical mole, then you have an increased risk of developing melanoma.

Tuesday. Client: Dolly Mixture

Her mole was a mixture of several shades of brown and black. Ordinary moles can be brown or black but are all one shade. Noticed she had fair skin with a lot of freckles. She said her skin was sensitive to the sun.

Wednesday. Client: Hugh Mungous

We measured his mole. Its diameter was wider than a normal mole. He said it had been continuing to grow. Larger moles are more likely to be malignant but that’s not set in stone. He’d also had a previous malignant melanoma.

Thursday. Client: Miss Reddish

This woman in her early twenties had a mole that was inflamed with a reddish edge. Ordinary moles aren’t inflamed and their border, shape, colour or size doesn’t change. Noticed she had fair hair and light coloured eyes. She told us she’d often been sunburnt as a child. She was surprised to hear that melanoma affects young adults as well as older people and it’s the third commonest cancer in young people.

Friday. Client: Anne Ooze

Her mole had been bleeding, oozing and crusting. Benign moles can sometimes get caught or knocked especially if they’re in an awkward place, and then redden and bleed but she assured us that she hadn’t caught her mole on anything. Ordinary moles don’t bleed for no reason and they don’t ooze or crust.

Saturday. Client: May Itch

May was worried because her mole had been itching and was rather painful. An ordinary mole is not usually itchy or painful.

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‘Have you checked your moles for these kinds of changes? Did you notice any changes? Don’t copy the garden mole and hide underground.’

‘Think that’s funny, Mollie? Seriously though, if you noticed one of the signs we’ve mentioned, see your doctor. Don’t delay. Like all cancer, malignant melanoma spreads if left untreated – some spread more quickly than others.’

‘I wasn’t trying to be funny. I was making a comparison. The main thing they need to know is if their doctor suspects an early malignant melanoma, he’ll refer them to a specialist at the hospital.’

‘Don’t get worried. The specialist will examine you and if he or she thinks it’s a possible melanoma, it will be removed under a local anaesthetic. That’s normally all the treatment you’ll need.’

‘Yes, but if the mole is a melanoma, they’ll need regular check ups at the hospital.’

‘Mollie, you’ve forgotten to tell them how a malignant melanoma starts.’

‘I was just about to tell them that, Michael, if you’d give me a minute.’

‘All right. Don’t get so excited.’

‘It’s a fact that the risk of developing malignant melanoma is probably related to severe bouts of holiday sunburn. About six in ten cases of melanoma are thought to be caused by ultraviolet radiation sun damage.’

‘That’s true, Mollie. There’re other factors too, but it’s not fully known what they are. Now we need to tell you that you should look after your skin and try to avoid sunburn at all costs. Excessive exposure to sunlight and especially fair skin that burns is a risk factor. It’s ten times as common in white as non-white populations.’

‘Yes, you need to use a bit of common sense when you’re in the sun. You should use sunscreen protection.’

‘Better still, cover up and keep in the shade – at least when the sun’s at its hottest in the middle of the day.’

‘That’s especially true for babies and children – the damage to the skin can occur many years before a cancer actually develops.’

‘Good point, Mollie. People with red or blond hair, green or blue eyes should take great care too. And we should warn you about sunbeds which can harm your skin.’

‘As well as aging your skin prematurely. Skin damage from the sun and sunbeds adds up over the years.’

‘True, and elderly people shouldn’t get blasé because their skin’s tough and think they’re safe in the sun.’

‘Touché, Michael, that’s another good point, too. The incidence of melanoma rises with age and is commonest in the over 75’s. Everyone needs to take care of their skin.’

‘Any questions?’