Has the inside of your nose been itching lately and you can’t help wonder if this can be cancer such as a melanoma, since melanoma can grow in areas that aren’t exposed to sunlight?
We’ve all had bothersome itching on the exterior of the nose.
A nagging itch inside the nose, however, isn’t common.
You may already be aware that melanoma can cause a mole to itch.
This knowledge can give rise to wondering if you’ve always had a mole inside your nose that has recently transformed into melanoma.
This kind of thinking is far-fetched and can cause a lot of needless anxiety.
“It is unlikely that cancer would cause itching on the inside of the nose,” says Alpana Mohta, MD, DNB, a dual board certified dermatologist who specializes in clinical and aesthetic dermatology.
“While certain types of cancer can cause symptoms that affect the nose, such as a blockage or an increase in mucus production, itching is not typically one of them.
“Additionally, cancer typically does not develop on the inside of the nose, as this area does not have the type of tissue that cancer typically affects.”
If you notice a hard lump inside your nose that was never there before, you should have a doctor examine it.
But chances are VERY high that it’s not cancer, even if it itches.
This fact doesn’t mean that cancer can’t grow inside the nose in very rare cases.
Nose Symptoms that Can Be Caused by Cancer
Most likely, a newly discovered hard lump inside your nose has always been there as part of your normal nasal anatomy.
By chance, you only recently discovered it.
It’s also possible that you’ve detected a normal change in the cartilage topography that has occurred over time.
A benign polyp, pimple or bug bite can cause a bump inside the nose. It’s best that you have a doctor examine it if it doesn’t go away after two weeks.
A bacterial infection can cause a lump; this is called a furuncle and needs to be treated.
A pore can become inflamed from picking your nose, causing a lump.
With all that said, it’s not impossible for cancer to develop inside the nose.
Cancerous tumors in a nasal cavity are EXTREMELY rare.
So if you have unexplained itching inside your nose, it would be very unwise to worry that it’s cancer – but again, if the itching or a new bump persists, see your doctor.
The following are nasal symptoms that cancer can cause.
- Clogged nostril only on one side (though cancer would be far down on the list of possible causes).
- Reduced sense of smell
- Distorted sense of smell
- Nosebleeds
- Mucus drip (and it can be bloody).
- Drainage of mucus in the back of your throat
Itching inside the nose has not been firmly established as a possible symptom of a cancer that affects the nasal structures.
Finally, an itch inside your nose can be caused by a piece of dried mucus that’s resistant to blowing, or a blood clot from a previous bloody nose that had a benign cause.
Dr. Alpana Mohta is a dual board certified dermatologist and owner of dralpana.com. Her areas of interest include clinical dermatology, dermatopathology and dermatosurgery. She has over 85 research publications in numerous journals. Apart from her regular medical practice, she is also a medical writer, reviewer and advisor for many companies.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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