Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson Is 'In Good Spirits' Despite Malignant Melanoma News
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
On Monday, Sarah Ferguson revealed that she’s been diagnosed with skin cancer. The Duchess of York, who is also known as “Fergie,” shared the news in an emotional Instagram post.
“I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery,” she captioned a photo of herself posing next to a stream. “It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was.”
Fergie called the diagnosis “a shock,” but added that she’s “in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support.” She also urged people to check their moles and to “be diligent” about staying on top of their skin.
The announcement comes almost a month after Fergie shared that she’d beaten breast cancer in in a New Year’s Eve post. “Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the Duchess remains in good spirits," her reps said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Fergie’s diagnosis has raised a lot of questions about skin cancer. Here’s what you need to know.
What type of skin cancer does Fergie have?
There are three main types of skin cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Fergie shared that she has melanoma.
What is malignant melanoma?
Malignant melanoma is another word for melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes of the skin, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
What causes melanoma?
There are a few risk factors for developing melanoma, according to the ACS. Those include:
UV light exposure
Having many moles
Having lighter skin, hair, and eyes
A family history of melanoma
A personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers
A weakened immune system
Being older
Being male
Having xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare, inherited condition that lowers skin cells’ ability to repair damage to their DNA
How can you check for melanoma?
Checking for melanoma involves checking for the ABCDEs of the disease. This means, per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), checking any spots you have for:
asymmetry
border
color
diameter
evolving
If you have any suspicious spots, contact a dermatologist for an evaluation. They’ll likely want to do a biopsy, the AAD says.
Fergie actually received the malignant melanoma diagnosis after her reconstructive breast surgery. During the procedure, a dermatologist removed several moles and analyzed them. One of the moles was cancerous, according to PEOPLE.
What is the treatment?
Melanoma is treated by removing the cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Depending on how advanced the melanoma is, it may be treated with radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or chemotherapy, the organization says.
Fergie has been receiving treatment for her melanoma in London while recovering at the MAYRLIFE Clinic in Altaussee, Astria, to “help her gather her strength,” a friend of the duchess tells PEOPLE.
What is the life expectancy with a malignant melanoma?
Survival rates depend a lot on how advanced the melanoma is when it’s detected, the ACS says. However, the five-year relative survival rate in the U.S. when melanoma is localized (meaning, it hasn’t spread to other areas of the body) is greater than 99 percent. When all forms of melanoma are combined, the survival rate is 94 percent.
You Might Also Like
