Woman diagnosed with 'most dangerous' form of cancer after spotting subtle sign on her thumb during manicure

In September of last year, Ohio mum Michelle Tagliamonte looked down at her hands and noticed something odd about one of her fingernails.

Little did she know, however, that just weeks after spotting her peculiar symptom, she'd be diagnosed with one of the most life-threatening variations of cancer.

After undergoing an invasive, four-hour surgery to treat the disease - and thankfully having her cancer declared in remission - the 58-year-old recently confessed that an oddity in her nail bed could have been there for some time. She simply didn't notice.

But what symptom did the mother-of-two fail to spot for so long, and how was it able to point to cancer being present within the body?

Michelle's cancer survival story started with a handful of black lines appearing under her nail.

After first noticing them appear, she told the publication she attempted to cover them with polish, being someone that regularly enjoys a manicure. In-between appointments, she hoped the lines would simply grow out.

Beginning to grow in concern, Michelle eventually sought the advice of a dermatologist, who told her that the 'discolouration at the base of my thumb nail' was coming from 'inside the growth plate down from inside my nail'.

It wasn't until later that she discovered that the black lines were actually a sign of melanoma, a potentially-lethal form of skin cancer that has the ability to spread rapidly to other organs within the body.

"The melanoma was in the growth plate [in my thumb] down to my first knuckle," the mum explained.

The Ohio mum noticed black lines under her thumb nail (Kennedy News and Media)

The Skin Cancer Foundation reportedly found a connection previously between the UV lamps used at many nail salons - which are required to fully set gel polish - and a 'moderate' risk of such a strain of cancer'.

The organisation explains that the lamps work in the same, potentially-harmful way that tanning beds do.

Thankfully, in Michelle's case, she caught the disease early whilst it would still being considered 'stage zero' - or 'in situ', meaning it hasn't yet spread to other areas of the body.

Discussing the January surgery she was subsequently forced to undergo, Michelle explained: "They had to cut out and they had to create a skin graft so when they had to dig out the melanoma, the bone and the tendon was exposed so they had to put some flesh back in it."

Describing the procedure as 'pretty invasive', she added that she'd forever be without a nail on her thumb.

Counting her lucky stars, she added: "But if I had let it go, I might have lost the tip of my thumb or worse, so I am very grateful and it is healing well."

And unlike similar cancer cases, she luckily wasn't left with any nerve damage - despite obtaining a harsh, jagged scar down her hand.

UV lamps have been linked to melanoma (mikroman6/Getty)

"I was more worried about what they were going to have to do to get rid of [the cancer] and the surgery itself," she confessed. "This was scary.

"I am very grateful that I caught it at stage zero and it was localized. I think it's just a matter of being diligent to get myself checked out."

The Skin Cancer Foundation advises that users of UV lamps apply a 'broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen to hands 20 minutes before your hands are exposed' to such a light.

The charity added, however, that sunscreen 'does not protect against subungual (under the nail) squamous cell carcinoma, a rare but potentially aggressive form of skin cancer' that is different from Michelle's.

"If getting a regular manicure, the safest bet is to allow nails to air-dry naturally, avoiding the drying lamps altogether or use an air blower or fan without UV lights," the company's expert continued.