A subtle line on a man's toenail that was initially dismissed by doctors turned out to be a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, thanks to his wife's persistence in seeking proper diagnosis.
David Edges, 52, from Solihull, noticed the faint mark on his toenail in May 2022, but didn't think much of it at the time.
However, his wife Kelly, 47, a cosmetics expert, recognised potential warning signs from her professional training in the late 1990s.
"It's awful to hear the words melanoma," said Kelly, who insisted on further medical investigation despite initial reassurances from healthcare professionals.
A subtle line on a man's toenail that was initially dismissed by doctors turned out to be a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, thanks to his wife's persistence in seeking proper diagnosis
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The mark was later diagnosed as subungual melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer that develops under the nail, accounting for just 1-3 per cent of all melanoma cases.
Kelly's initial concerns were met with limited response from medical professionals, who advised David to simply "keep an eye" on the nail.
A second GP consultation suggested the mark was likely just a fungal infection.
"Doctors are great at quick referrals for changes in moles on the body but because subungual melanomas are so rare, there didn't seem to be a lot of concern for his toe," Kelly explained.
"David was happy to go with the professional's advice, but I wasn't happy," she added.
Her expertise from a nail conditions course during her cosmetics training proved invaluable in recognising the potential danger.
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"I kept an eye on it and the following October I noticed the line was wider and had darkened in colour but a second GP said it was likely to be fungal," Kelly recalled.
Frustrated with the lack of progress, the couple sought private medical consultation.
The private consultant conducted a thorough examination of David's toenails and reviewed photographs showing how the mark had changed over 17 months.
"I'd taken two spaced 17 months apart, and she acknowledged that there was in fact a change," Kelly said.
The line had widened to over 3mm, prompting a biopsy.
The results confirmed Kelly's fears, revealing melanoma in the tissue under the toenail.
The mark on the patient's foot was later diagnosed as subungual melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer that develops under the nail, accounting for just 1-3 per cent of all melanoma cases
Getty ImagesFortunately, the cancer was confined to the epidermis, the top layer of skin, and had not spread to other areas.
"We didn't tell our children until David got the all-clear as he didn't want to worry them," Kelly revealed.
David underwent successful treatment, including a procedure to remove the cancerous cells with a skin graft taken from his thigh.
"His toe is healing nicely and we're going on a family ski holiday in April," Kelly said.
The couple are now focused on raising awareness about early detection of skin cancer.
"We don't want to scare people with this but just want to emphasise the importance of finding cancer early," Kelly explained.
Following their experience, Kelly has taken steps to help others by training with Skcin, a UK-based charity dedicated to the prevention and early detection of skin cancer.
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