Information for the public
Skin and soft tissue
Skin and soft tissue
Being referred to a specialist does not mean that you have cancer. Very few people who are referred to a specialist actually have cancer. However, it is important that you are checked quickly to find out. If you do have cancer, spotting it early can mean treatment is easier and more likely to be successful.
Jaundice
Jaundice occurs when there is a build‑up of a substance called bilirubin in the blood and body's tissues. Symptoms include a yellowing of the skin and eyes. If you are 40 or over and your GP has assessed you as having jaundice, you should be offered an appointment to see a cancer specialist within 2 weeks to check for cancer of the pancreas.
Bruising, rash or unusual paleness
If you have bruising or a skin rash of small red or purple spots (known as petechiae) or pallor (unusual paleness of the skin), and your GP doesn't think anything else is causing it, you may be offered a blood test (carried out within 2 days) to check for leukaemia (which is cancer of the white blood cells).
Skin lesions
Skin lesions, which include damaged or injured patches of skin, or new, large, changing or unusual looking moles, may sometimes be symptoms of skin cancer.
If you have a skin lesion and your GP has assessed it (checking its shape, size, any change in size and any other features) or carried out a skin examination using a special magnifying tool called a dermoscope, and thinks that a type of skin cancer called melanoma might be possible, you should be offered an appointment to see a cancer specialist within 2 weeks. You might also be offered this appointment if your GP thinks a type of skin cancer called nodular melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma is possible.
If you have a skin lesion and your GP thinks a type of cancer called basal cell carcinoma might be possible, you may be offered a referral to have it checked by a specialist (although not necessarily within 2 weeks). This type of cancer tends to develop slowly, so you should only be offered an appointment to be seen within 2 weeks if your GP is worried that a delay might cause problems because of the size or position of the lesion.
For information about skin symptoms in children and young people see the symptoms of cancer in children and young people section.
Soft tissue lumps
Soft tissue is the supporting tissue of the body, including fat, muscles, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. A rare type of cancer called a soft tissue sarcoma can occur in these tissues, most commonly in the arms and legs.
If you have a lump in your soft tissue that is getting bigger, and your GP doesn't think it is caused by anything else, you may be offered a scan (carried out within 2 weeks) to check for soft tissue sarcoma. For more information see test results.