Foot cancer on rise

LONDON, June 13 (UPI) -- Flip-flops and sandals may put wearers at risk of developing skin cancer on their feet, doctors in Britain warn.

Open-toe shoes can increase chances of lesions developing as the skin is exposed to intense sunlight, a cause of skin tumors, or melanomas, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Cancer affecting the feet is called acral melanoma, doctors said. Research shows that only half of patients with foot melanomas survive, compared with four of five people with cancer elsewhere on their legs.

Doctors say sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15 or higher should be applied to the feet, including the soles.

Anthony Kontos, head of the clinic at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, said patients usually mistake skin cancer on the feet for bruising, the British newspaper reported.

"With the increasing popularity of open-toed sandals and flip-flops, feet often have a sudden blast of intense sunlight," Kontos said. "Our feet are enclosed in shoes most of the year and then we pack our sandals for a holiday in very hot temperatures. This means feet are particularly susceptible to sunburn."

Reggae singer Bob Marley died from a melanoma on his foot thought was a football injury.