Tyler Blevins, the video game superstar known as Ninja, announced this week that he has been diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
Mr. Blevins, 32, said on social media on Tuesday that he had a mole removed from his foot several weeks ago during an annual checkup with a dermatologist.
“It came back as melanoma, but they are optimistic that we caught it in the early stages,” he said.
In the post, Mr Blevins said a second dark spot was found on his foot, which had also been removed and was being examined “in the hope that under the microscope they will see clear, non-melanocytic edges and we know that we have it.” got.” .”
His large online following led to a crossover appearance in 2019, dressed as a character named “Ice Cream,” on the Fox competition show “The Masked Singer.” In 2018, he played Fortnite with Ellen DeGeneres on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Skin cancer is common and often survivable. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas, the most common types of skin cancer, can be disfiguring but are rarely fatal.
Melanoma accounts for only about 1 percent of all skin cancers diagnosed, but causes the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society estimated that doctors would diagnose about 100,640 new melanomas in the United States this year – about 59,170 in men and 41,470 in women – and that about 8,290 people would die as a result.
The risk increases with age and lighter skin color is also a significant risk factor for melanoma. Early detection can lead to effective treatment.
The average age of those who receive a diagnosis is 66 years. However, according to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults, especially young women between the ages of 20 and 39.
William Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society, said Wednesday that melanoma found on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet or under the fingernails is “a rare type.” He recommended people use sunscreen, examine their skin regularly and see a dermatologist if anything suspicious is found.
“It’s good to have a partner to look over your back and soles of your feet in a well-lit room or with a hand lamp,” he said.
Mr Blevins said he would use his diagnosis to raise awareness of skin cancer.
“I’m grateful to have the hope of finding this early,” he said in his post, “but please take this as PSA to get skin checks done.”
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2024-03-27 21:51:32
www.nytimes.com
