Harvey R. Danciger, DPM
74-000 Country Club Drive, Suite A-2
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 568-0108

Cancer

Understanding the different kinds of problems with your feet is the best way to prevent and treat them. We believe our patients make the best decisions by being fully informed. Our patient library is an excellent learning tool for understanding all kinds of foot conditions, injuries, diseases, and deformities. It's also a great resource for answers to common questions like, "What should I look for in a shoe?", "How can I stretch my feet?", or  "How can I prevent ingrown toenails?"

Browse through our library by using the tool bar on the right side of this page.

Not only can you find valuable information in our patient library, but we also provide excellent information on our blogs every week. By following us on twitter or checking out our facebook page, you can also follow links to interesting foot-related issues and see what others are saying about feet.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

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"The best way to take care of your feet and ankles is to have the information you need. That's why I'm making this book available to anyone who requests it"
- Dr. Harvey Danciger



There are many kinds of cancers of the foot. Some take the form of cysts and lesions, while others are more widespread.

Malignant melanoma is a skin cancer that is curable if caught early. Although it makes up only one percent of skin cancers, malignant melanoma accounts for over 60 percent of skin cancer deaths. It is estimated that approximately 30 percent of melanomas occur in the lower extremities, and that 3 percent occur in the feet.

Neoplastic disorders, usually called tumors, are the result of abnormal growth of tissue. Both benign or malignant tumors occur in the foot.

Osteochondromas are benign bone tumors under the toenail. Osteochrondromas account for about half of all benign bone tumors in the foot, occurring mostly in children and young adults. Unless they cause irritation to the surrounding tissue, they are generally not very painful. Sometimes, they can deform the toenail and cause an ingrown toenail. In rare cases, they are removed surgically.

A plantar fibroma is a benign tissue tumor or growth on the plantar, or bottom surface of the foot. Unlike plantar warts, which grow on the skin, these grow deep inside on a thick fibrous band called the plantar fascia. There are a number of nonsurgical measures for treating plantar fibromas, such as orthotics. When these conservative measures fail to provide adequate relief of symptoms, surgical removal is a reasonable option.

Giant cell tumors are benign tumors of the tendon sheath. These masses are generally found on the toes, top of the foot, or sides of the foot. They can also occur deep inside the foot. They are firm irregular masses that are typically painful.