Woman's Unusual Nail Was The First Sign of Stage 4 Terminal Cancer, Since Then Has Returned Thrice; Know How Melanoma Spreads

Also known as a black tumour, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer which grows quickly (Pic: SWNS/iStock)

A 38-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer just days before giving birth to her son. For Kelly Heather, the first sign of melanoma she noticed was an unusual change in her fingernail. And thereafter she fought an eight-year battle in a bid to beat the dreaded disease, but it kept coming back.
Kelly, a resident of Kent, visited her doctor in 2017 after she noticed a black line on her fingernail. However, after some tests, she was told there were "no cancer cells showing" but was monitored every three months. Though it is rare, skin cancer, including melanoma, can develop under and around your fingernails and toenails. It may look like a brown or black band on the nail, which can be easily mistaken for a bruise.
As the nail band kept on becoming darker in colour, Kelly had to get it removed through surgery. However, within six months, something that looked like a verruca appeared at the end of the finger, signalling that the cancer had returned. "Whatever you need, just take it. I'd rather that than it spread anywhere else," said Kelly when she was told she might need to have her finger partially amputated.
After many cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, along with surgeries, Kelly's fingertip was finally removed and she was given the "all-clear" in 2020. But in August 2022, she discovered a lump in her armpit, which was her cancer again that had returned and spread to the lymphatic system. She again underwent major surgery for the removal of 20 lymph nodes. She was told only one of them had metastatic malignant melanoma. By October 2023, following a year of immunotherapy at Maidstone Hospital, Kelly's scans were coming back clear again.

The cancer returned for the third time

A year later, Kelly was pregnant with her fourth child, and one day she could not lift her leg. “My leg started flicking out and shaking uncontrollably, and within not even a minute, I was having a full seizure in the kitchen. I honestly thought I had died. I thought I was dying and all I could think was my kids have lost their mum and my baby is going to die,” she said.
She was then diagnosed with a brain tumour - which was later confirmed as stage 4 melanoma brain cancer. After giving birth to her child via c-section, she underwent brain surgery to remove the tumour. "They removed most of the tumour, but they couldn't remove all of it without causing permanent paralysis to my left side. So, a small part was left behind, which is why I have to have the targeted radiotherapy to kill the remaining tumour left in the brain," said Kelly.
With a newborn to look after, Kelly is starting a new treatment which includes two separate immunotherapy drugs. She said: "It is the only treatment that is available. There's a 50 per cent chance it will work for me. It's very much hit and miss so it's quite scary.”
Kelly has been told there's a 25 per cent chance the cancer could have spread to her baby via the placenta.

What is melanoma?

Experts say melanoma is the most invasive skin cancer with the highest risk of death. While it is a serious skin cancer, it is also curable if caught early. According to doctors, prevention and early treatment are critical, especially if you have fair skin, blonde or red hair, and blue eyes.
Also known as a black tumour, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, which grows quickly and can spread to any organ. Melanoma comes from skin cells called melanocytes, which produce melanin, the dark pigment that gives skin its colour. Most melanomas are black or brown, but some are pink, red, purple, or skin-coloured as well.
Around 30 per cent of melanomas begin in existing moles, but the rest start in normal skin. This makes it especially important to pay attention to changes in your skin because the majority of melanomas do not start as moles. However, how many moles you have may help predict your skin’s risk of developing melanoma.
It is important to know if you are in a high-risk group for developing melanoma skin cancer.
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