'My cancer was 0.1mm away from spreading'

A man has revealed how a medical check of a "scratch" on his back saved his life after it was diagnosed as a malignant melanoma.

Stefano Biagini, 56, followed advice to see a doctor and discovered the lesion was the most serious form of skin cancer.

The 56-year-old from Whitstable, Kent, was told by medical staff the disease was just 0.1mm away from spreading around his body.

"I'd seen other people go through critical illnesses and I just resigned myself to the fact that it was my turn," he said.

"It made me commit to not wasting whatever life I still had in front of me," he said.

Mr Biagini, who grew up in Italy, said he was exposed to a lot of sun as a child, despite his mother doing her best to protect him.

"There wasn't the same awareness of sun damage or the kind of sun creams there are now," he said. "I'm sure a lot of damage was done then."

Mr Biagini's cancer was confirmed by a biopsy. Then surgeons cut away the cancerous area on his back. He did not need chemotherapy.

The earlier a melanoma is picked up, the easier it is to treat and the more likely treatment is to be successful.

Almost nine in 10 adults diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in England will survive their disease for 10 years or more.

After treatment, Mr Biagini suffered from fatigue but slowly re-built his fitness, began swimming regularly, and decided to sign up for Swimathon to raise money for Marie Curie and Cancer Research UK.

The event will take place from 28-30 March and will include individual challenges or teams of people taking part in a relay.

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