I’m a skin doctor — don’t ignore this common sign that might mean cancer
Mark his words.
Dr. Scott Walter, a board-certified dermatologist in the Denver area, is warning his 1.2 million TikTok followers to be on the lookout for acanthosis nigricans, a common condition characterized by dark, velvety patches in body folds and creases.
“Acanthosis nigricans, or what we call ‘AN,’ is defined by these hyperpigmented velvety plaques on the flexural areas of your skin, like the neck, the underarms or sometimes even your knuckles,” Walter said in a Tuesday TikTok as he showed the tell-tale markings of this condition.
“The vast majority of the time when this is diagnosed on the skin, there’s an underlying medical condition related to obesity, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome or [polycystic ovary syndrome],” he explained.
As the obesity epidemic continues to grow in the US, this disorder has become prevalent. One study reported that 74% of obese people have acanthosis nigricans.
The condition typically occurs in people under 40 and tends to affect Native Americans and African Americans more than others.
The markings can be found on the back of the neck, armpits, or groin and sometimes on the face, chest, elbows, knees and knuckles.
“Rarely, in instances where this is found in an older adult who’s healthy, fit without any underlying medical conditions, it can be assigned that there’s an internal cancer growing such as gastro cancer. It’s rare, but that’s a sign,” Walter said.
Malignant acanthosis nigricans is more common in people who are middle-aged or elderly. It could be a sign of pancreatic, ovary, esophageal or lung cancer, and more rarely, bladder, renal cell or prostate cancer.
Treating the underlying disease, such as removing the cancerous tumor, is key. If the underlying condition is obesity, symptoms can improve with diet and exercise. If the case is less severe, topical creams may help.
“Regardless of the cause, if you ever encounter this on your skin, you should definitely seek medical attention, so you can address the underlying health issue,” Walter advised.
