When performing a skin examination on a 73-year-old patient, the nurse should be alert for which characteristics of a malignant lesion?
Explanation
• Remember the signs of malignant skin lesions with the A, B, C, D, E system:
• Asymmetry (will not have equal halves)
• Borders (irregular outline)
• Color (can have multiple colors)
• Diameter (usually larger than 1/4 inch)
• Evolving (changes in size, shape, color)
• Benign moles are usually circular, flat, brown, and uniform.