Dear Dr. Bone,
My cousin and I were trying
to figure out what type of cancer is the weirdest. Is there really cancer of
the fingernail? The hair?
J&J
Cousins
Dear J&J,
Yes, you can get cancer of the fingernail. While it is rare, it
does happen. Fungal infections of the nail are very common and cause
deformities that have been misdiagnosed as cancer. Traumatic injuries to the
nail also cause a discoloration that can be confused with cancer. The most
common cancer of the nail is melanoma. It looks like a change in the color of
the nail, usually tan to black. Unfortunately it can be misdiagnosed as a nail
injury and overlooked. A good rule of thumb (get it!) is to wait until the nail
grows. If the lesion does not go away with the nail growth, get it checked out.
I suggest seeing a dermatologist.
Hair does not get cancer, but the hair follicle from which the
hair grows is susceptible to cancer. Remember, in order to get cancer, there
needs to be live cells that divide and a blood supply to the area. Hair has
neither of these.
Keep sending more questions.
Dr. Bone
