A SHOCKING time-lapse shows how a tiny red mark morphs into skin cancer.
The video demonstrates how rapidly merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) develops over just six weeks.
The footage, made using AI, begins with normal skin.
A small red spot then quickly grows in size over the subsequent weeks, slowly progressing from stage one cancer to stage four.
It ends up being raised, lumpy and a deep red-purple colour, measuring about 3in (8cm) wide.
MCC is a fast-growing type of skin cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
It starts in the Merkel cells, which are usually in the top layer of the skin.
These cells are near the nerve endings and they help us respond to touch.
Only about 1,500 people were diagnosed with MCC in England between 1999 and 2008, so it is very rare.
Like most other types of skin cancer, people are at increased risk of MCC from long-term exposure to the sun, the charity warns.
But MCC develops much more quickly over weeks and months, before spreading to other parts of the body like the lungs or bones.
It is around three to five times more deadly than melanoma, the Skin Cancer Foundation says.
As shown in the video, the most common symptom of MCC is a lump on the skin – often on areas of the body that get the most sunlight, like the head, neck, arms and legs.
“These are often bluish red in colour and less than 0.8in (2cm) across, although they are sometimes larger,” CRUK says.
“The skin over them is usually firm, not broken, and they don’t hurt.”
Specialised testing can reveal what stage MCC is at.
Stages one and two mean the cancer is small and has not spread, according to Neuroendocrine Cancer UK.
Stage three means it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or has appeared on the skin in between the primary and the lymph nodes, while stage four means it has spread to other organs.
IF you've spotted a new mole or lingering mark on your skin, don't be too quick to dismiss it.
It’s important to know what your skin looks like normally, to helps you notice any unusual changes.
The ABCDE rule can be followed to assess the health of a mole.
If your mole falls into the following, it’s worth getting checked:
Most melanomas don’t give you symptoms like pain or itching.
Meanwhile, some non-cancerous moles or abnormal patches of skin can be itchy.
So having some of these changes on their own doesn’t mean you definitely have melanoma, but you should still get it checked out.
There are two main types of skin cancer – non melanoma skin cancer and melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma skin cancer includes:
There are a few different types of melanoma too:
Find out more about distinguishing moles here.
The sequence showing how MCC develops was created by Dr Christopher Chang, an ear, nose and throat specialist from Warrenton, Virginia in the United States, and consultant at Fauquier ENT.
He said: “Obviously, such a time-lapse can not be realistically accomplished as there is no way to know if any given area of skin will turn into cancer.
“Somebody with such future knowledge would have to start taking such photos now in the same spot over time to watch it slowly turn into cancer.”
His project shows how important early detection is, as the sooner MCC is caught, the sooner it can be treated.
Most treatment involves surgery to remove the cancer, but some patients also have radiotherapy to kill cancer cells.
Others also need immunotherapy or chemotherapy.
