Twitch streamer Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins reveals skin cancer diagnosis, encourages skin checkups
Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, a famous Twitch streamer, has revealed a skin cancer diagnosis after a routine dermatologist appointment.
"A few weeks ago I went in to a dermatologist for an annual skin/mole check that Jess proactively scheduled for me," the 32-year-old Fortnite player wrote on X Tuesday, referring to his wife Jessica. "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."
Blevins continued, "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," he encouraged his fans.
In a statement obtained by CNN and Entertainment Weekly, Blevins added: "I wanted to use my platform to shine light on the importance of routine skin checkups. We are feeling extremely optimistic and will keep everyone posted as we chat more with our doctors."
USA TODAY reached out to reps for Blevins for comment.
Blevins has nearly 24 million subscribers on YouTube and is one of the most followed users on livestreaming platform Twitch at 19 million followers, where he is known for playing the popular Fortnite video game. He also briefly appeared on "The Masked Singer" as Ice Cream for a single episode.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma accounts for around 1% of skin cancers but is more likely than other types of skin cancer to grow and spread, making it more dangerous. It "causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths," according to the American Cancer Society.
It occurs when "melanocytes (the cells that give the skin its tan or brown color) start to grow out of control." For people with lighter skin tones, melanomas are more likely to start on the legs for women and on the chest and back for men. Other common sites are the neck and face.
Sarah Ferguson treated for skin cancer:What to know about melanoma, sunscreen
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, "When skin cancer develops in people of color, it's often in a late stage when diagnosed." For Black people, "skin cancer often develops on parts of the body that get less sun like the bottom of the foot, lower leg, and palms."
The American Cancer Society recommends monthly self-exams in a well-lit room, ideally in front of a full-length mirror and using a hand-held mirror for hard to see areas. The exams help familiarize yourself with any existing moles, blemishes, freckles and other marks on your skin so that it's easier to detect when there is new growth or widening of existing marks on your body.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson