My aunt has a mark on her back that appears to be a bruise. It started out the size of a walnut this was about a year ago. Now the mark has grown to the size of a dinner plate. She refuses to go to the doctor, she does not drink alcohol but smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and is a heavy pot smoker. Is this something we should be concerned about? Thanks.
N2

Hello Nadca2-

Hopefully I'm wrong, but if she hasn't recently bumped herself hard enough to cause a bruise, it sounds to me as though it may be some kind of internal bleeding. I'd definitely talk her into going to a doctor to be on the safe side.

One of the hallmarks of cancer is mole growth.

Now I am not a doctor, I haven't seen this person, and I don't know if it is cancer, but if something like that grew that fast for me, I'd go see a doctor right away.

Whew Sherasi, I didn't even think of cancer.

DNadca, Did this originally look like a mole? Heavens, MAKE her see her doctor.

Well it was my mom that actually told me. It is her sister. But mom said that it was not a mole a bruise.. It was not raised at all. And that is one huge bruise now. But really cant be a bruise cause it is getting bigger and has been a year. I did tell my mom that it might be some sort of cancer. My aunt flat out refuses to see a doctor. Thanks for the replies. Any thing else you may hear would be greatly appreciated.
N2
I also forgot to mention that the bruising is her lower back more or less between her hips.

[This message was edited by Nadca2 on 03-27-03 at 10:50 PM.]

Listen, skin cander is a seriously bad cancer. Treatable if detected early. Regardless of what it is, cancer or not, you don't ignore something growing in size that fast.

Your aunt is in a state of denial because she is likely afraid (I did the same thing myself, many of us do) of what may be the problem. Speak to your aunt, at the very least she could be bleeding in that area. And if she is bleeding that is also a risk she needs to attend to.