Did You Know!
Changes in the skin can occasionally provide clues about problems elsewhere in the body.
Doctors sometimes pay attention to unusual or sudden changes in the skin because certain patterns have historically been associated with internal disease. One fascinating example is the Leser–Trélat sign, which describes the sudden appearance or rapid increase of numerous seborrheic keratoses—common, usually harmless skin growths. It has been reported alongside certain internal cancers, particularly gastrointestinal cancers, although scientists continue to debate how strong the association actually is. Seborrheic keratoses are extremely common as people get older, so having these growths by itself is not evidence that someone has cancer.
