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SearchA woman shares how a strange line on her fingernail turned out to be melanoma.
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CLEVELAND - As Lauren Koltcz flips through the pages of her book, she can’t help but glance down at the scar forming on her left thumb.
In March, the entire nail had to be surgically removed after she was diagnosed with melanoma.
“It is rare, and it’s scary that it’s rare because a lot of people would not think to check their nails,” said Lauren.
She first noticed something strange in May of last year.
“It started out as a tiny little brown line on the bottom of my nail. I was like, well, that's odd,” she recalled.
She didn’t think much of it but figured she’d mention it to her doctor anyway.
“She recommended I go to the dermatologist, but being a mom and being a teacher, I put it on the back burner, and I just let it go,” said Lauren.
That was until February, when Lauren decided to do some research online.
“I was scrolling on TikTok, and I happened to come across a dermatologist saying, ‘If you see these signs on your nails, make sure you go see your doctor very quickly.’ And I was like, oh, well, this doesn't sound good,” she said.
Lauren immediately scheduled an appointment at Cleveland Clinic.
And within days, she was diagnosed with melanoma.
“Her biopsy showed what's called a melanoma in situ, what that means is that the melanoma cells are just in the upper layer of the skin. It was not invasive, so her outcome should be very good,” said Allison Vidimos, MD, dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic.
Lauren said she’s grateful to be okay and encourages others to be vigilant.
“I thought about my kids a lot during this whole process. And so, I beg people, please check everything. Don't put it off. Prevention is key,” she said.
Dr. Vidimos said this kind of melanoma is not thought to be caused by sun exposure and can also be confused for other medical issues, which is why it’s important to consult with a dermatologist if you notice anything unusual.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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