A YOUTUBER has revealed he is “cancer free” just a week after he shared his diagnosis.
US streamer Ninja, 32, whose real name is Tyler Bevins, said his surgery to remove skin cancer has been successful.
The melanoma on his foot was spotted during an annual mole check that his wife Jessica scheduled for him.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “Just got the news from my dermatologist, Great news x 2!
“Excision was successful with clear margins.
“Lesion biopsied nearby showed only mild atypia and was entirely removed with the biopsy.
“As of right now, I am officially cancer free. Thank you all for the prayers and kind words this last week. Love you all.”
Melanoma affects 16,700 Brits a year, making it the fifth most common cancer in the country.
Experts say spotting it early is vital for successful treatment, with surgery able to stop the disease’s progression.
Signs of the disease include a new mole or change to an existing mole.
Moles with uneven shapes or edges, mixes of colours, or large moles can also be symptoms.
Doctors spotted Ninja’s melanoma when giving him a routine skin check.
He said: “There was a mole on the bottom of my foot that they wanted to remove just to be careful.
“It came back as melanoma, but they are optimistic that we caught it in the early stages.
“I had another dark spot appear near it, so today they biopsied that and removed a larger area around the melanoma with the hopes that under the microscope they will see clear non-melanoma edges and we will know we got it.
“I’m grateful to have hope in finding this early, but please take this as a PSA to get skin checkups.”
MORE ABOUT NINJA
Ninja, a popular Twitch streamer, rose to fame when he played the video game Fortnite with music stars Travis Scott and Drake.
Ninja is the most followed streamer on Twitch, boasting more than 18.8 million followers.
The influencer is known for his goofy personality and impressions, per his YouTube bio.
The games he is currently playing include Fortnite and Warzone.
He boasts almost 24 million followers on the platform.
What are the symptoms of melanoma skin cancer?
The most common sign of melanoma is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole.
Other symptoms include:
- Mole with a mix of colours
- Large mole
- Mole that changes over time
- Swollen mole
- Bleeding mole
- Itchy mole
- Crusty mole
- Mole in the shape of a line under a nail
In women, the most common specific location for melanoma skin cancers in the UK is the legs.
Men are more likely to see melanomas in their trunk – the back or torso.