Jeremy Hunt shares skin cancer diagnosis – first sign appeared on his head

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, has shared how he was diagnosed with cancer, revealing the disease was spotted “relatively early”.

The 56-year-old spoke about his skin cancer diagnosis that came after he noticed a mole on his head.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “I had a mole in my head that just grew and grew.

“Eventually, I was told I needed to have it removed.”

Tests confirmed he had basal cell carcinoma, one of the more common forms of the disease.

Mr Hunt shared how hearing the news of his illness was a wake up call.

“I was a cabinet minister at the time, not in my current job, but it was obviously the first time that the ‘C word’ had been used in terms of my own health so that makes you sit up,” he recalled.

“But I was blessed. It was not a life-threatening cancer and it was caught relatively early.”

This was not the first time Mr Hunt’s family were affected by cancer.

The Tory politician lost both parents, Nicholas and Meriel, to the disease in 2013 and 2022 respectively.

And in 2020, his brother Charlie was diagnosed with sarcoma, which is a rare cancer that can start in the bones or soft tissue.

He continued: “I had superb treatment from the NHS to remove it, but I am very aware of members of my own family who have had much tougher battles against cancer, and I know that’s what families are going through up and down the country.

“My brother is doing OK, but like many families who have cancer, it is a life-changing thing.”

What is basal cell carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer – the more common and less deadly skin cancer than melanoma.

According to the NHS, a common symptom is a “small, shiny pink or pearly-white lump with a translucent or waxy appearance”.

The health body says: “It can also look like a red, scaly patch.

“There’s sometimes some brown or black pigment within the patch.

“The lump slowly gets bigger and may become crusty, bleed or develop into a painless ulcer.

“Basal cell carcinoma does not usually spread to other parts of the body.”

Other common signs of non-melanoma skin cancer are the appearance of a discoloured patch of skin or lump that persists over weeks and progresses over months or years.

The NHS adds: “See a GP if you have any skin abnormality, such as a lump, ulcer, lesion or skin discolouration that has not healed after four weeks.

“While it’s unlikely to be skin cancer, it’s best to get it checked.”