by: Steven Masso , Addy Bink Posted: Mar 27, 2024 / 11:59 AM PDT Updated: Mar 27, 2024 / 11:59 AM PDT HARLINGEN,
Texas ( KVEO ) — Popular video game streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins shared his
cancer diagnosis to fans Tuesday evening. “I’m still in a bit of shock but want to keep you all updated,” Blevins stated in a post on X. Blevins said he went to a dermatologist a few weeks ago for an annual skin check that his wife had scheduled for him. He said that he had a mole on the bottom of his foot that his doctors wanted to remove out of caution. “It came back as melanoma, but they are optimistic that we caught it in the early stages,” Blevins continued. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer, the Mayo Clinic explains . It typically starts on areas of the body that are often exposed to the sun, like the skin on the arms, face, back and legs. The Mayo Clinic says that most melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet light, or UV light. Blevins added that he had another dark spot near the cancerous mole, which was also removed. He concluded his announcement by urging the public to get regular skin checkups. The treatment of melanoma varies based on the stage it’s in, the
American Cancer Society says. Before the melanoma grows deep into the skin’s top layer, surgery can be used to remove it. If the melanomas reach stage IV and spread or metastasize, surgery can still be performed, but radiation or injections of the T-VEC vaccine may be necessary. Blevins did not provide any additional details about his diagnosis or treatment. The 32-year-old rose to fame in 2018, after he streamed on Twitch playing Fortnite with celebrities, such as rappers
Drake and Travis Scott, and NFL player Juju Smith-Schuster. Later that year, Blevins was featured on the cover of
ESPN The Magazine, becoming the first e-sports player to appear on the front of the publication. Blevins was also once named by Time as one of the most influential people in the world. Blevins has amassed a total of 19 million combined followers across
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