Published Feb 25, 2020

Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres’ Dazzling Dance Performance Gives Metastatic Melanoma Patients Reason to Cheer

After surgery and chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma, Torres' performance on Monday's MQBAS finale was a triumph.

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Former Miss Universe, Dayanara Torres, 45, has thrilled supporters and fans with her amazing dance moves at the Sunday night finale of Univision’s “Mira Quién Baila All Stars” (“MQBAS”) amid her metastatic melanoma journey.

While it’s unknown where Torres is in her treatment plan, the Puerto Rican actress, once married to singer Marc Anthony, estimated it would be complete in March 2020, making her appearance on the season finale of the Latin version of “Dancing with the Stars” a triumph.

Torres had won the competition herself in 2017.

View this post on Instagram

Un pequeño preview de baile! Les prometo q tan pronto pueda pasar la página, ???????? BAILARÉ con espalda y todo! Aquí una pizca de baile de brazos y piernas… ???????? #CancerSucks #CantWaitToDance Dedicado a Nelson Ruiz 1974-2019 ???????????? #opening #grandfinale #MiraQuienBaila @melissamitro @jayme_rae @oksanaplatero @imemgarcia @this_is_teresa @franswag @yannalrick @jonplaterodude @rodrigobg28 @biancapamelamarroquin @beaucaspersmart @adrian_lastra @kiara.lizpr @sofia_96castro
A post shared by Dayanara Torres (@dayanarapr) on Feb 24, 2020 at 7:15pm PST

Since being diagnosed in February 2019, Torres has used her vast platform on social media — she has 1.4 million followers — to raise awareness about skin cancer and, specifically, melanoma.

“If you have doubts about a new mole that is growing, has different colors, uneven border… please call your doctor or dermatologist! … Early detection is key!”

‘Never Forget to Take Care of Yourself’

Melanoma is significantly easier to treat when it’s detected early. Torres said she’d noticed a mole on the back of her leg, but had put off getting it checked.

“My fiancé Louis had been begging me to have it checked & finally made an appointment himself… after a biopsy & a second surgery last Tuesday the results, unfortunately are positive,” she wrote in the Instagram post below, to share her diagnosis.

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Soy #Guerrera As mothers we are always taking care of everyone around us… our kids, family, friends & often we forget to take care of ourselves. ???? Today I have some sad news… I have been diagnosed with skin cancer “melanoma” from a big spot/mole I never paid attention to, even though it was new, it had been growing for years & had an uneven surface. ???? My fiancé Louis had been begging me to have it checked & finally made an appointment himself… after a biopsy & a second surgery last Tuesday the results unfortunately are positive. Now we are waiting to see which treatment I will be receiving but they have already removed a big area from the back of my knee & also they have removed 2 lymph nodes at the top of my leg where it had already spread. Hoping it has not spread to any more areas or organs. ???????? ???? I have put everything in God’s hands & I know he has all control… My sons although a bit scared know about my faith and know they have a warrior of a mommy! ???? But if I can help anyone along the way based on my experience, it would be to tell you… PLEASE, never forget to take care of yourself. If you see something or feel something different in your body have it checked… I had no idea skin cancer could spread anywhere else in your body. . #Guerrera #iHaveFaith #TrustGod “God doesn’t give the hardest battles to his tougher soldier, he creates the toughest soldiers through Life’s hardest battles”. TODAY is #WorldCancerDay #RaisingAwareness
A post shared by Dayanara Torres (@dayanarapr) on Feb 4, 2019 at 3:40pm PST

The Deadliest Form of Skin Cancer

Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are caused by sun exposure. Dr. Anna Pavlick, NYU medical oncologist and a Professor of Medicine and Dermatology at NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, said that melanoma is particularly dangerous because the disease has a tendency to spread to other parts of the body. About 90% of all melanomas are caused by excessive ultraviolet radiation.

In her post, Torres did note that “melanoma is the most serious cancer of all, it can spread out to any other areas in your body, and even worse, to any organ, as it runs through your lymphatic system.”

Spreading Melanoma Awareness

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview that people should devote time every month to checking the body for any new or changing moles that may indicate skin cancer — and using the acronym ABCDE as a checklist:

Asymmetrical moles: if you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?
Borders: irregular, jagged, not smooth; can also stand for bleeding
Colors: multiple distinct colors in the mole
Diameter: larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser
Evolution: This may be the most important, anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, hurting, changing shape, etc.

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Constance Costas is a writer for SurvivorNet.