Michael Adams, 58, didn’t think much of the unusual mark his wife noticed on the back of his ear in April 2017, assuming it was a harmless skin condition – but it was much worse
Michael Adams initially dismissed the odd mark on his ear that his wife pointed out in April 2017, thinking it was just a benign skin issue.
His GP didn’t seem too worried about the spot either. But what Michael, from Edinburgh, brushed off as a minor concern turned out to be the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Michael explained: “It looked like a blackhead. I wasn’t too concerned about it.
“My GP wasn’t overly concerned either. She just goes, ‘Use (the steroid medication cream) hydrocortisone for a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t clear up, we’ll take it further’.”
But when the hydrocortisone cream failed to make any difference, Michael ended up on a waiting list to see a specialist. Five months later, at his appointment, the innocuous-looking mark had evolved into a classic case of melanoma.
“I had to go in front of some students because it was so classic,” the ex-paramedic recalled. “The surgeon took it off that day and took a biopsy. They were quite happy that it hadn’t travelled anywhere.”
Cancer Research UK reports that melanoma is the most rapidly increasing type of cancer, with around 17,500 new cases diagnosed each year. Sadly, over 2,340 individuals die from malignant melanoma in the UK every year.
Michael’s battle with cancer didn’t end after surgery to remove a significant portion of his ear. He faced biannual scans to ensure the disease was fully eradicated.
But two and a half years post-diagnosis and surgery, the cancer made an unwelcome return.
He recounted: “It was a trainee registrar who said, ‘I think there’s a slight discolouration just below the original site’. And my consultant kind of pooh-poohed it and said it’s nothing to worry about.
“The registrar said to me, ‘Do you mind if I take this further? ‘ And I was certainly happy to do so.”
Subsequent tests revealed the melanoma had returned, escalating Michael’s condition from stage one to stage three. This led to him being offered immunotherapy, a cutting-edge treatment that trains the immune system to attack cancer cells which are normally overlooked.
Despite the potential benefits, Michael hesitated to accept the treatment.
“I initially refused it because I was worried about the side effects,” he confessed. “(I was warned) it can knock out your adrenal gland, your thyroid, it can cause lung damage. The list is as long as your arm. Gastritis, you can end up being on steroids for life. And there was no guarantee (it would work).”
Michael was initially hesitant but eventually gave in to his medical team’s suggestion to try a new medication. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer any severe side effects.
“I was quite fit prior to doing this,” he said, “but I got shortness of breath on exertion. But I would do whatever it takes.
“If they had to lop the whole ear off, I would not be bothered about that. Here I am, seven years down the line, and still with shortness of breath, but I can do the day-to-day things. I’ve got a nice life.
“I’m still going for the six-monthly scans. But that will only continue for another year. And then that’s me back into the same position as everybody else.”
Looking back on his past, Michael feels his cancer may have origins dating back decades. He recalls: “We had a really hot summer in 1976. I was 11-years-old at the time. It’s the only time I remember getting burnt. No one can confirm it, but I’m convinced it stems from that.
“I’m typically very white-skinned with red hair, so I’m usually primed for it and sun-creamed up. I have a habit of wearing baseball caps in the sun so the edges of my ears get exposed, but they are sun creamed up. But who knows.”
Research carried out earlier this year, spearheaded by Melanoma Focus and conducted by Alma Economics, suggests that slashing VAT from SPF 30+ sunscreen could cut melanoma cases by up to 3,200 annually. Furthermore, a Melanoma Focus survey revealed that nearly half of UK adults think sunscreen is too pricey, with 60% admitting they’d slather more on if it were cheaper.
While stressing the critical role of sun safety and skin check-ups, Michael highlighted the lack of awareness regarding skin cancer’s potential severity.
“I was naive to it myself,” he said. “I thought with skin cancer, you had it cut out and you go on and live your life. I never realised that this could be the tip of the iceberg and your insides are (infected).
“One of the chaps I connected with on a melanoma forum got clear scans one January and had nothing and then he never made it to his next scan. He passed away within six months. And he’d had clear scans. What you realise is that everybody is still a bit flippant about skin cancer, I think.”
Michael, who has come to terms with the fact that his rigorous cycling and running routines are a thing of the past, nevertheless feels grateful for the second chance he’s been given. Opening up about his experiences, he remarked: “I’ve lost the life I had, but I’ve now got a new life and it sounds odd, but I think it’s even better. If I hadn’t taken the immunotherapy treatment, who knows what the situation would be now. I am glad I’ve taken it now. Definitely.”
Michael’s story surfaces amid a recent Instagram post from Cancer Research, which highlighted cancer as the number one health worry for Brits.
The survey, conducted by Cambridge University, indicated that a staggering two-thirds of respondents harbour concerns over a potential cancer diagnosis.