Learning about Melanoma
- Model and actress Slick Woods, 26, has been serving looks, as per usual, despite a continued battle against stage three melanoma as far as we know.
- Woods was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for her cancer, but she decided to stop after neuropathy caused her lose control of movement in both legs and one arm. It’s unclear what the status of her health is today.
- Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair and eyes their color. Ninety percent of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, so it's important to protect your skin with things like sunscreen and clothing.
- One of our experts says that patients with stage three melanoma “probably have a 50/50 chance of being OK with just a surgical resection,” but newer medicines like immunotherapy can significantly reduce the risk of their cancer returning.
- Paying attention to moles or growths on your skin is an easy way to look out for melanoma since changes to a mole you've had for a while or developing a new growth you don't remembering having on your skin could be signs of of this cancer, according to SurvivorNet's experts.
Woods, born as Simone Thompson, has modeled for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Ugg and Moschino. She was also handpicked by mentor and friend Rihanna for her Fenty Beauty brand. But the successful model turned actress started from very humble beginnings. In fact, it was British model Ash Stymest who kickstarted her career after discovering her at a bus stop in Los Angeles the city where Woods struggled with homelessness and addiction.
Read MoreIt’s unclear what the status of her cancer is today, but Woods has made a point to keep looking as fabulous as ever.
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In her most recent post shared for her 847,000 Instagram followers, Woods is rocking her signature bald look dyed yellow.
Looking cool as ever in another recent clip, Woods is rocking a camouflage-inspired fit while partying solo in the back of a moving U-Haul.
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Another series of photos shows Woods wearing street-style brand Kangol with chains galore and proudly showing off her signature arm tattoos.
“Kangol tired of these mf snakes on this plane ok?” she wrote in her caption.
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Needless to say, cancer hasn’t slowed the mother of one down one bit. Still, her cancer journey has been anything but easy.
Slick Woods’ Cancer Treatment
Treatment for Slick Woods' stage of melanoma, which had spread to the lymph nodes, usually begins with surgery to remove the original tumor. From there, there are various treatment options including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies or radiation therapy.
Removing Stage Two and Three Melanomas
“We watch patients very closely. They're seen by their dermatologist. They're seen by their surgeon,” Dr. Anna Pavlick, medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet. “Patients with stage three disease probably have a 50/50 chance of being OK with just a surgical resection. However, we now have brand new medicines, or immunotherapy medicines, that can significantly reduce their risk of this ever coming back.
"And many patients who have stage three disease are recommended to undergo preventive immunotherapy.”
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RELATED: How Is Melanoma Treated after Surgery? The Landscape of Therapies Explained
Woods underwent chemotherapy treatments for a time, but the side effects causes her to ditch the treatment altogether. Nerve damage caused debilitating neuropathy which led to her losing control of movement in both legs and one arm and she had to rely on a wheelchair for a time.
“It’s just not something I wish on anyone. I just got sicker, and I got weaker,” she said of her chemo.
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Melanoma can be fatal without treatment. So, the status of Woods’ health is unclear at the moment, but hopefully she’s found another treatment option that works for her.
Understanding Slick Woods’ Type of Cancer: Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair and eyes their color. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 99,780 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States in 2022.
And while the ACS says the risk of melanoma increases as people age with the average age of diagnosis being 65, the disease is not uncommon among those younger than 30. In fact, it's one of the most common cancers in young adults (especially young women).
The disease can develop from an existing mole or appear as a dark or pink growth on the skin even in places on the body that never see the sun. It's also known to be the deadliest form of skin cancer.
"Melanomas are the deadliest type of skin cancer because they have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body," explains Dr. Anna Pavlick.
Paying Attention to Your Skin
Keeping an eye on the moles or growths on your skin is an easy way to keep an eye out for melanoma. Changes to a mole you've had for a while or developing a new growth you don't remembering having on your skin could be signs of this cancer, according to SurvivorNet's experts.
Examining Your Skin for Melanoma Remember ABCDE
Dr. Cecilia Larocca of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute gives SurvivorNet an overview of things to look out for with moles using the ABCDE self-screening method:
- Asymmetrical moles: "If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?"
- Borders that are "irregular, jagged, not smooth." It 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," she says. "Anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, hurting, changing shape, etc."
Spots on our skin are often harmless, but it's still important to keep an eye on them and reach out to your doctor if you see any changes or find a growth anywhere on your skin that looks suspicious.
Protecting Yourself from Melanoma
Ninety percent of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. This means excessive time in the sun even as a child puts you at a higher risk.
Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Skin From Skin Cancer
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Dendy Engelman from MDCS Dermatology in New York shared the top five things you can do to avoid skin cancer:
- Avoid sun during peak hours, which is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect the tops of our heads, the tops of our ears and the delicate area around the eye.
- Wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen and make sure to reapply every two hours or after excessive sweating or swimming.
- Have yearly skin checks (with a professional), because it's difficult to evaluate areas all over the body.
- Avoid tanning beds. There are no "good" tanning beds, and they can significantly increase your risk of melanoma.
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