Bob Marley died from skin cancer that began on his toe.
His toe.
He ignored a dark spot that appeared underneath his toenail, assuming it was a bruise from a soccer injury.
It wasn’t.
The spot was a form of skin cancer known as acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), an aggressive cancer that affects people with darker skin tones.
The warning signs were there, but the belief at the time was that those with fairer skin were the only ones at risk for skin cancer.
Marley died in 1981 after a four-year battle. But had he detected it early, he may not have died.
Like other forms of cancer, early detection is key. The earlier doctors find skin cancer increases the chances of successful treatment.
Although Marley was Jamaican, his treatment came in the later stages of the disease as it does for many African-Americans. Marley died at 36 years old.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun exposure and tanning beds is the cause of most skin cancers. Melanin, the dark brown pigment that gives skin its color, protects skin from UV damage.
However ALM is different. It affects parts of the body that people overlook — areas that don’t seem susceptible to the sun’s dangerous rays.
“It’s in weird areas,” Dr. Sonya Johnson of Dermatology Associates said. “Melanoma is mainly on the feet for African-Americans. It’s an area people don’t check.”
The Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center recorded 75 percent of skin cancer cases are found on the soles of the feet, palms and nail beds. These areas receive less sun exposure, have less pigment and are often ignored.
In African-Americans, 30 to 40 percent of melanomas are found on the feet.
It’s 2018 and some African-Americans still believe the fallacy that skin cancer is only found in white people. Because of this erroneous belief when skin cancer is actually found it is often advanced and difficult to treat, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Because early detection is vital, it’s imperative to pay attention to new moles and spots that change color or become raised. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact a primary care physician or dermatologist.
Contact staff writer Loren Dent at 317-762-7853.
Check your body
According to American Cancer Society, cancer.org, here are a few ways you can check at home, but remember you should always go to a doctor to receive a proper diagnosis.
- New moles.
- Moles that increases in size.
- An outline of a mole that becomes notched.
- A spot that changes color from brown to black or is varied.
- A spot that becomes raised or develops a lump within it.
- The surface of a mole becoming rough, scaly or ulcerated.
- Moles that itch or tingle.
- Moles that bleed or weep.
- Spots that look different from the others.
Bob Marley
