Melanoma: Labour MP Chris Bryant reveals skin cancer in lung diagnosis

Labour MP Chris Bryant has revealed his skin cancer has returned, this time in his lung, and has urged people to protect themselves from the sun.

The representative for Rhondda first spoke about his experience of finding out he had skin cancer, which he only discovered after getting a haircut, in 2019.

He had skin grafts and staples in the back of his head after a stage three melanoma was removed.

In a video posted to X, formally Twitter, Mr Bryant said he was gives the news following his last scan in January this year.

He said: "For the last five years I have had scans, absolutley brilliant, every single one has come back clean.

"Unfortunately the very last one was meant to be in January this year and I was helping in the Kingswood by-election when my doctor rang me on my birthday to tell me 'I'm really sorry to say your latest scan has shown something in your right lung.'

What is Melanoma?

  • It is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

  • Cancerous growths develop when un-repaired DNA damage to skin cells trigger defects that lead skin cells to multiply and form tumours.

  • The majority of melanomas are black or brown, but they can also be skin-coloured, pink, red, purple, blue or white

  • Melanoma is caused mainly by intense, occasional UV exposure, especially in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease.

"Two weeks later I was in the hospital bed. They put a robot in my lung. They cut a little bit out and it did turn out to be a melanoma in my lung.

"Not lung cancer, but skin cancer in my lung. In years gone by that might have been a death sentence but thanks to immunotherapy, which I'm now on, my prognosis, my chances of being cancer-free in 10-15 years time are actually really good.

"That's brilliant. The immunotherapy can be tough especially when you're on the combination treatment as I have been recently.

"It's not as tough as chemotherapy but thank goodness for the innovations doctors have brought in. I feel confident of being cancer free for the rest of my life."

Chris Bryant MP revealed he went to get a mole looked at by a doctor after a haircut in 2019. Credit: X/Chris Bryant

Mr Bryant chose to reveal his diagnosis during melanoma month and took the opportunity to raise awareness of taking care of your skin in the sun.

He said: "Please, please, please take skin cancer seriously. If you're in doubt about a mole then get it checked out.

"Secondly, please protect yourself from the sun. All of this is just sun damage in the end. It can be avoided so please use high factor sun cream and make sure children in particular are protected from the sun."

"We can save ourselves from skin cancer. Let's do it."

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