In this video, board certified dermatologist Dr. Dray discusses several unusual skin findings that, in rare cases, may be associated with colon cancer. The skin can sometimes provide clues about internal health, and certain dermatologic signs may prompt earlier medical evaluation.
Dr. Dray explains that most skin changes are not cancer and these findings are uncommon. However, the skin can occasionally reflect underlying disease processes. This educational video reviews several dermatologic conditions and symptoms that have been reported in association with colon cancer and other internal malignancies.
Topics discussed include jaundice, unexplained itching, malignant acanthosis nigricans, dermatomyositis, acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa, and skin metastases that may present as subcutaneous nodules. Dr. Dray also reviews colon cancer risk factors, why these skin changes may occur, and when it is important to seek medical evaluation.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:30 What is colon cancer and common risk factors
1:20 Jaundice and yellowing of the skin or eyes
2:30 Persistent itchy skin without a rash
4:14 Malignant acanthosis nigricans and sudden dark velvety skin changes
5:45 Dermatomyositis and cancer associated rashes
7:37 Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa and sudden fine hair growth
8:12 Subcutaneous nodules and skin metastases
9:24 When to see a doctor
9:51 Closing
RELATED VIDEO
Skin warning signs to never ignore
This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Most skin findings are not related to cancer, but new or concerning symptoms should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Early detection and appropriate screening for colon cancer are important for overall health.
#coloncancer #dermatologist #skinwarningsigns #drdray #healthyskin
FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links.
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Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Content provided on this Youtube channel is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this Youtube channel should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
A related video if you are interested in learning more about skin warning signs:
Skin warning signs to never ignore
https://youtu.be/t44dR5RRTF0
In today’s video I discussed several uncommon skin findings that, in rare cases, can be associated with internal cancers such as colon cancer. I want to emphasize again that these skin changes are uncommon and most skin symptoms people experience are not related to cancer. The goal of this video is simply to help raise awareness about situations where it may be appropriate to seek medical evaluation.
Your skin can sometimes provide clues about what is happening inside the body, and paying attention to new or unusual changes is always worthwhile.
If you have questions about skin health or topics you would like to see covered in future videos, please leave them in the comments below. I often pull questions and ideas directly from the comment section when planning new videos.
Thanks for watching!
Dr Dray, I watched all the videos above and did not see any info. on Sjogren’s ?
i appreciate you so much! I hate to be a bother but surviving stage 4 metastatic breast cancer had it back at stage 2B in 2017 , had the works done but for being informed that i needed to remain on the hormone blocker to prevent it from returning, frustrating oh well but in 2023 is when it became stage 4 metastatic and here i am in 2026 and tho i have quality pain management care giver i can’t really find any thing i can swap back and forth when i develop a tolerance to the painmed and i was wondering if you have any helpful suggestions or helpful leads that i can present to my pain management caregiver? or am i trapped with what i got with oxycodone and morphine and gabapentin
Agree….I had rashes and never knew why….thought it was menopause….turned out 2 years later i had colon cancer.
Thank you for your educational videos!! ❤
THANK YOU, DOCTOR, FOR ALL THE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS 🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤
We are all left helpless in this broken health care system 😢
I’m hoping you will soon make a video about armpit different rashes as I only trust you 🙏❤❤❤
Americans have exact the health care system that they voted for. Could be different. Fortunately, many people are finding that sitting quietly & meditating on the skyrocketing profits and the wealth-producing top CEO of private insurance companies has proved beneficial and is restoring personal health like never before. Very Big. Some might say huge.
When my mother was being treated for ovarian cancer, her skin became unbearably itchy. It was a sign that the cancer had spread to her liver.
My MIL had crazy itching at night. It was breast cancer.
Not related to colon cancer, but itchy skin/mole can be a sign of skin cancer. I kept itching the side of my stomach until I noticed it was a raised mole that looked irritated. I thought putting ointment and anti inch cream would help, but it didn’t. Went to my primary and dermatologist and the biopsy came back the mole had some good and bad cells. Bad cells related to melanoma. Got the mole removed from the root and have been getting full body scans ever since and a few biopsies. So far so good! If something doesn’t feel right, go get it checked out.
Skin and colon cells are formed from the same cells in utero. If there is something going on with your skin, or if you have a lot of moles, it can possibly predispose one to colon polyps or worse.
I was told my itchy skin and rashes were in my head, a sensitivity to gluten, a hypothyroid issue. It went away after being treated for stage 3 colon cancer
How did they diagnose, colonoscopy?
@tanyanye1614Yes, even though I was „too young“ for one at the time. My doctor suggested it just to rule things out
@meghanllewellyn6762Where were Your rashes? I have increased risk of getting because I have IBD It’s crazy that it’s happening to people alot.
My mom has super itchy skin and she had liver cancer 🫤.
I would love if you could do a video on skin gangrene. I have crohns and I got diagnosed last January with skin gangrene due to crohns. Thank god I am under control now. But would like to hear more about this illness please 😊
You are a wealth of knowledge. Thank you so much for your informative videos❤
About 10 years ago I broke out all over my back in tiny red bumps that itched like crazy.
My dermatologist took a biopsy and found out that it was Grover’s disease which has no cure at this time
He gave me the topical ointments Clobetasol and that worked great, but I still continued to have severe breakouts
So later, I read a medical journal stating that people who have continual itchy breakouts throughout their lives may have very low levels of Vitamin C.
I have never been someone who has eaten or drank the citrus fruits, so I went to Costco, bought the large Vitamin C and took two a day
The results were immediate: in about two weeks all itching stopped and the breakouts are extremely minimal.
I still have Grover’s disease, but it’s way under control and my skin is almost completely clear
I still take Vitamin C twice a day and will for the rest of my life.
I’m getting my second colonoscopy in two weeks. They’re not pleasant to go through, but could save your life. If you’re 45 or older or if colon cancer runs in your family, get one soon.
I would disagree with the beginning of the statement they’re not unpleasant go through at all if you have the right team, it’s barely a hassle. Definitely important to go do but don’t think of it as something that’s unpleasant.
id be scared of accidental perforation
@landi6282the prep is the worst part. Colonoscopy is a nice nap.
@forgamae- sorry to hear that. I assure you that is extraordinarily rare. Avoidance due to fear is a risk factor for issues going undetected and then becoming too late to cure.
@landi6282 It’s the prep that’s horrible, especially if you have IBS.
Itches are a sign of perimenopause, a very common issue
Thank you! This is waaaay to much drama! Itchy skin is totally about menapause and a myriad of other conditions such as diabetic issues, pancreas and liver issues, kidney issues, numerous skin conditions, medication allergies…. The list goes on…
Vaginal bleeding can be a sign of having your period. It can also be a sign of postpartum hemorrhage. Context matters, and the context here is that rates of colon cancer have been increasing in people as young as their late 20’s. But sure… it’s totally perimenopause that is causing some people to suddenly be itchy AND have unexplained rectal bleeding. Cuz that makes sense. I guess geese also moo.
Dr Dray you’re doing great with sharing your knowledge. Nothings ever wrong with your videos and it upsets me people actually comment ridiculous issues like the way you hold your mic 😂
What youtube algorithm knows about my health that I don’t 😫 it’s been recommending me content about cancer colon
me too . crazy
Same
Ugh. Fine, I’ll schedule the colonoscopy.
If you’re under 50, good luck! Dr’s will just tell you you’re too young to get it and most insurance won’t cover.
I can vouch for the dermatologist’s important role in alerting someone to potential cancer. Six years ago, my Derm Dr biopsied a bump on my forehead as told me it was pretty harmless but that Hes like to refer me to MD Anderson because it’s often associated with cancers of the digestive system. Nothing was found in me but it set me up genetic testing (I was positive for Lynch Syndrome) and began having regular testing. Three years later, They discovered cancer in my small intestine/cecum and did a colon resection. Without that doctor’s interest and intervention, I may not have caught it early enough to save my life.
Your Dr was def an angel in disguise for you!
Do u guys keep getting recommended colon cancer videos? I’m genuinely scared that it’s the universe screaming at me that I have it and I’m panicking lol
Edit: I made my initial appointment🤞😅🤞 I will be asking for a full blown colonoscopy because the test where they test your poop is apparently not accurate and it’s very common to get false negatives (a.k.a. Doesn’t detect cancer a lot of the times)
Edit2: if u wanna get a colonoscopy and ur doctor is pushing to just get the poop test (don’t get it, many false negatives) instead, tell them u have black stool and take iron (if u want) around few weeks before u go in to get the colonoscopy so that it turns it black. But be careful taking too much iron can kill u!!
Same I’m kinda surprised the recommended testing age isn’t getting lowered yet. Seems every article or video is someone in their late 20’s to mid 30’s talking about their colon cancer or rates rising in young adults.
No I don’t, but it is on the rise so there may be a reason the algorithm is sharing it.
Request your Primary to get you a simple blood in stool test kit if worried about it.
I get it a lot and so does my friends I think it’s just become more common
Yeah same. I know I should be doing a colonoscopy just at least to see if it’s IBS or something, but just can’t muster the motivation or money. So many of my FB friends and old classmates have had it.
My mom had none of those symptoms and got colon cancer at 38 and died at 43 from it. No family hx either.
I am sorry for your loss.
Same as my friend
Am 76. No more colonoscopies for me 💃 Phew 😅For 15 years, a raw spinach salad every other day has eliminated pesky polyps.,
Coloring at armpits, the neck, and groin is also a huge sign of insulin resistance.
YES – very good comment – thanks.👊🏼
@ScottsdaleSushinot really, it literally came from the video…
Were you afraid people wouldn’t get that from the video or what? She says that 5 min into it. Maybe give the time stamp so people don’t give you credit for Dr Dray’s information.
😂 this is a common scientific fact, no need to be argumentative here… 🎉.
@KaiOpakaSome people wont watch the whole video so this was a helpful comment
my youtube algorithm is convincing me i got COLON CANCER
lol. i thought i was the only one seeing that!
Me too!!! Glad am not the only one
lol same
Omg same!!!!
Bro I thought I was the only one wtf it’s terrifying me