26-Year-Old Woman, Whose Mole Developed Into 20 Tumors, Urges Skin Cancer Screenings After Stage Four Melanoma Diagnosis

Sunblock Is Key

• Helen Bailey, a 28-year-old realtor from Alabama, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma diagnosis at age 26, despite only having a few sunburns in her life, and always prioritizing her skin health.
• Seven years after having a cancerous mole removed from her back, her dermatologist informed her she had 20 tumors spread across her body.
• Bailey, who has remained positive throughout her skin cancer journey, underwent surgeries and immunotherapy to fight off the cancer, and she was declared “cancer free” last year.
• Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In melanoma, the cells change in a way that allows them to spread to other organs.
• Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. You’ll want to watch them and tell your doctor about any changes you notice.

Helen Bailey, from Alabama, is hoping her stage four melanoma diagnosis will encourage others to protect themselves from the sun and get checked annually by a dermatologist, as a cancerous mole on her back turned into 20 tumors spread across her body. Bailey was just 26 years old when she discovered her body was "covered in tumors" and she had metastatic skin cancer, a diagnosis that arose seven years after she had a cancerous mole removed on her back. Now, 28, she aspires to help others take better care of their skin and be proactive when it comes to their health. The realtor, who works with Sam Winter & Company, Inc., wrote in a recent Instagram post , "Two years ago today, I found out my body was covered in tumors and the chances of me seeing the year 2023 were looking pretty slim. During my treatment, I experienced fevers everyday up to 104°, violent uncontrollable shakes most nights, extreme weight loss(almost 20 lbs), rashes, a complete wipeout of any appetite, RLS, muscle aches as my muscles stretched in an attempt to make room for the tumors, abdomen pains from the tumors in my intestines, multiple biopsies taken from my legs, neck, and esophagus, blood transfusions from internal bleeding, aand so on. In summary: It was no fun! "I'd like to share some helpful information regarding Melanoma to hopefully prevent as many people as possible from experiencing what I did: pls read! EARLY DETECTION through regular skin checks and prompt medical attention are CRUCIAL for a better prognosis." She added, "If you catch a mole in time, your doctor can remove it before it grows further into your skin, increasing the chances of preventing it from spreading. So book that dermatology appointment! And go at least once a year! "If you notice any suspicious changes in your skin, such as new moles, changes in the size or shape of existing moles, or any other concerning skin abnormalities, it’s essential to consult a dermatologist for a thorough evaluation." In Bailey's case, she noticed an unusual lump on her neck while she was using a small, smooth-edged tool, called a gua sha, on her neck and face, as something she did amid her beauty regime. In another TikTok post, Bailey admitted she has "always been extremely protective " of her skin and had only a few sunburns throughout her life, which is why she wants others to know how it's so important to get yearly skin checks. After her diagnosis in spring 2022, Bailey underwent "many" surgeries to remove the tumors and ultimately had successful immunotherapy treatments which has allowed her to become "cancer free" in February 2023. https://www.tiktok.com/@helenbender/video/7219708187308559659?embed_source=121374463%2C121439635%2C121433650%2C121404359%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_name&refer=embed&referer_url=www.survivornet.com%2Farticles%2Fwoman-26-discovers-dangerous-skin-cancer-while-trying-social-media-beauty-routine-doctors-found-20-tumors-how-her-vigilance-helped-save-her-life%2F%3Fnewhomepage%3Dtrue&referer_video_id=7194549578165816622 Although doctors are no longer seeing any signs of cancer in her body, she continues to get checked every three months and is still undergoing treatment "to ensure all of the cancer is gone and stays that way," she said in a post on her Instagram story, insisting, "God Is Great!" Bailey remains incredibly grateful for having gone to her doctor at the time she did after noticing the lump in her neck, the immunotherapy treatment for having worked, and for the support system she's had along her melanoma journey. Now that she's back to living life to the fullest, she warned her TikTok followers ,"If you don't wanna spend the summers like I did finding tumors all over your body, spending all of your time with doctors and connected to wires... "This is your sign to make your dermatology appointment, stay consistent with them, go at least once a year, wear sunscreen every single day (not just at the beach) and just try to limit your sun exposure as much as possible and please God ... no tanning beds.

Expert Melanoma Resources

• Am I at High Risk for Melanoma?
• Blood Test Could Predict the Best Type of Treatment for Metastatic Melanoma
• Atypical Moles Don’t Necessarily Mean You Have Melanoma
• Examining Your Skin for Melanoma: Remember ABCDE
• How is Melanoma Treated After Surgery? The Landscape of Therapies Explained

Learning More About Melanoma

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In melanoma, the cells change in a way that allows them to spread to other organs. Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. You’ll want to watch them and tell your doctor about any changes you notice. WATCH: How do you perform a skin check using the ABCDEs? You’re most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed skin areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. Surprisingly, you might also find them in other places as well, like:

• The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
• On your eyes or mouth
• Under your nails

RELATED: Speaking Out After Skin Cancer Surgery: ‘Summer House’ Star Ashley Wirkus ‘Always Wore Sunscreen’ Says it Still Wasn’t Enough SurvivorNet experts recommend avoiding unprotected sun exposure because ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to melanoma. Tanning beds pose ultraviolet radiation risks for skin cancer and should be avoided. Many dermatologists recommend using spray tans to reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer.

What Are the Symptoms of Melanoma?

The most important thing to look out for when it comes to finding melanoma is a new spot on your skin or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color, SurvivorNet’s medical experts say. When you check your skin, use the acronym ABCDE as your guide :

• Asymmetrical moles: If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?
• Borders: Is the mole irregular or jagged?
• Colors: Are there multiple distinct colors in the mole?
• Diameter: Is the mole larger than 6 millimeters (mm), about the size of a pencil head eraser?
• Evolution: Has the mole’s color, shape, or size changed over time?

RELATED: The Genetic Mutation That Drives Many Metastatic Melanomas If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, our experts say it’s time to see your dermatologist for a skin check.

Melanoma Treatment Options

Melanoma treatment has come a long way. Survival rates have risen dramatically, thanks to a “ treatment revolution ,” say SurvivorNet's experts. With breakthrough treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy now available, people who are diagnosed today have a much better chance of living a long and healthy life than ever before. If you're diagnosed with melanoma, there's a good chance surgery is going to be the treatment your doctor recommends. In the early stages of the disease, removing the cancer should lead to a cure. The question is typically not whether you'll get surgery, but which kind you'll have. WATCH: Dermatologic Surgeon Dr. Nima Gharavi, On The “Gold Standard Treatment” For Melanoma For an early-stage melanoma that is close to the skin surface, Mohs surgery might be an option. This technique removes skin cancer, layer by layer, until all the cancer is gone. In general, stage I melanoma surgery consists of the simple, in-office removal of the cancerous cells by a dermatologist. If the cancer is thicker, your surgeon will remove it through a technique called wide excision surgery. The removal of stage II and III melanomas are performed by surgeons or surgical oncologists, not dermatologists. You may also have a sentinel lymph node biopsy to see if the melanoma has spread to the first lymph node where it's most likely to travel. If your cancer has reached this first lymph node, it may have spread to other neighboring lymph nodes, and possibly to other organs. Where the cancer is will dictate your treatment. After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes will go to a specialist called a pathologist, who will measure the melanoma and find out if it has clear margins. Having clear margins means the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don't contain any melanoma. When there aren't any cancer cells left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to come back. Once your cancer spreads, treatment gets a little more complicated, but there are still ways to stop it. New treatments have vastly improved the outlook for people with metastatic, or stage IV, melanoma. Targeted drugs and immunotherapy have been shown to be more effective than chemotherapy. So, with many more choices, there is no standard treatment. Treatment will vary based on your condition and whether there is recurrent disease. Research has found that immunotherapy drugs such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) helped some people live longer. Combining immunotherapy drugs Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) has also extended survival. Opdivo (nivolumab) + relatlimab is a new therapy option added to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines in 2022.  The combination of two immunotherapies is called Opdualag. For those with the BRAF mutation , targeted drugs which shrink or slow the tumor can be a good option. This could include a combination of drugs, such as:

• Zelboraf (vemurafenib) and Cotellic (cobimetinib)
• Braftovi (encorafenib) and Mektovi (binimetinib)
• Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist (trametinib)
• Zelboraf (vemurafenib) and Cotellic (cobimetinib) can also be combined with atezolizumab.

"Every patient is different and every situation is different," says Dr. Anna Pavlick , medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. She emphasized that "there is no cookie-cutter recipe," for treating stage IV melanoma. There Is No "Cookie Cutter Recipe" for Treating Stage Four Melanoma Dr. Pavlick also notes the importance of personalized care and treatment. "It really is a matter of looking at the tools we have so that we can pick the right tools to give the patient the best outcome.” So, while there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating metastatic melanoma, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to your individual situation. Advances in research and technology are making the fight against metastatic melanoma more hopeful than ever.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.

• What type of skin cancer do I have?
• What treatment options exist for my type of melanoma?
• Will insurance cover this treatment?
• Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense for me?
• What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff