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Most people have a number of brownish spots on their skin — freckles, birthmarks, moles. Almost all such spots are normal. Some, however, may be skin cancers.

In 1985, doctors working in the Melanoma Clinical Cooperative Group at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine developed a simple acronym that helps people recognize the signs of the disease. They called it the ABCDs of Melanoma — Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variability and Diameter larger than a pencil eraser.

Twenty years later, as skin cancer becomes increasingly complex, those same researchers are recommending expanding the acronym to ABCDE, with "E" for Evolving — meaning that any change in a lesion can be a concern. Several factors support this proposed change — mainly that the sooner you find a melanoma, the better.

With that in mind, always be alert to changes and irregularities in shape, edges, color and size of your moles.

The ABCDs of Melanoma

Asymmetry
Most early melanomas are asymmetrical: A line through the middle would not create matching halves. Common moles are round and symmetrical.

Border
The borders of early melanomas are often uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges. Common moles have smoother, more even borders.

Color
Common moles usually are a single shade of brown. Varied shades of brown, tan or black are often the first sign of melanoma. As melanomas progress, the colors red, white and blue may appear.

Diameter
Early melanomas tend to grow larger than common moles — generally to at least the size of a pencil eraser (about 6mm, or 1/4 inch, in diameter).

For more information, visit www.skincancer.org.