Treating Advanced Stage Melanoma
- Slick Woods, Rihanna’s favorite model isn’t letting isn’t letting stage three melanoma stop her from doing what she loves, as she was recently photographed in some stylish outfits at Paris Fashion Week last month.
- Woods was diagnosed with melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair and eyes their color, back in July 2019.
- There are treatments for all stages of melanoma, although the cure rate is highest for those in the earlier stages. Treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
- 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 block proteins and other substances the cancer needs to grow, while immunotherapy boosts your body’s own response to help it fight the cancer better. With so many more choices available, treatment can be tailored to you.
- Experts also tell SurvivorNet that maintaining a positive attitude and continuing to do things that make you happy, like York has, can have a real impact on treatment outcomes and how a patient feels overall.
Slick Woods, who went from being a homeless teen on the streets of Los Angeles to iconic singer Rihanna's favorite model, is continuing to impress her fans and living life to the fullest after being diagnosed with stage three melanoma, a type of skin cancer. The 27-year-old model—who found out she was battling late stage of melanoma (a type of skin cancer) five years ago and isn't letting cancer stop her from doing what she loves—was photographed in some stylish outfits at Haute Couture Week in Paris, France, between June 24 and 27.
She took to Instagram to share some of her favorite photos from the event, captioning her post, "Slick Woods x Paris Fashion Week," and praising creative director and stylist Kyo Jino for styling her. Her post prompted fans to flood her comments section with praise, with some calling her "perfect" and others simply saying, "wow." However, that's not the only thing she's been up to. On July 1, Woods revealed some more
new modeling photos as she's been featured in the "KRISALEXANDER SS25 Campaign."
RELATED: Slick Woods Has a New TV Series– Thriving After Stage 3 Melanoma She also shared some more images of her appearing to be enjoying life while wearing fashionable clothing, drinking white wine, and being
photographed near a rainbow. Woods was even
featured in a True Religion clothing advertisement on social media, in a post which read, "'Pride is everything.' We're all about celebrating self-expression and being true to you with @slickwoods. "Fearless and bold, Slick takes risks in life and fashion, effortlessly mixing streetwear with high fashion. She inspires us all to embrace our true selves through our style choices. In celebration of Pride Month, we’re donating a percentage of sales on select styles to the @lalgbtcenter." Her recent modeling gigs come just months after
Woods shared a selfie of herself smiling alongside the caption, "Can’t complain today," so we image she's been feeling great despite living with late-stage melanoma. Woods, born as Simone Thompson, has previously modeled for Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Ugg and Moschino, jumpstarted her career in modeling and acting when British model Ash Stymest found her at bus stop, where Woods was struggling homelessness and addiction. Once she got settled into her modeling career, her world was rocked in July 2019 when her dentist discovered some suspicious spots in her mouth during a routine dental appointment. After sample results returned, she was diagnosed with stage three melanoma.
RELATED: Model Slick Woods' Beautiful Smile While in Wheelchair as She Shares the Side Effects of Her Cancer Treatment It's unclear what the status of her cancer is today, as she chose to stop getting chemotherapy treatment at the start of 2021. Woods, who has a son named Saphir, whom she gave birth to in September 2018 and co-parents with fellow model Adonis Bosso,
previously told CNN that she chose to stop chemotherapy for stage three melanoma after treatment left her with severe nerve damage (neuropathy) that and landed her in a wheelchair, for a bit of time. A 2019 Instagram video showed
Woods in her wheelchair. The caption read, “Legs numb left hand still numb I hate this bullshit.” She went through one round of chemo, which she called "gruesome," adding, "It’s just not something I wish on anyone. I just got sicker, and I got weaker," she told CNN. Treatment for Woods' stage of melanoma, which had spread to the lymph nodes, usually begins with surgery to remove the original tumor. From there, doctors give immunotherapy or targeted therapy to reduce the odds that the cancer will come back.
RELATED: Melanoma Treatment Has "Come a Long Way" “Patients with stage III disease probably have a 50/50 chance of being ‘ok’ with just a surgical resection,”
Dr. Anna Pavlick , medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “However, we now have brand new medicines, or immunotherapy medicines, that can significantly reduce their risk of it ever coming back.” It's not clear what other treatments Woods had, or why she received chemotherapy. It's important to note that without treatment, melanoma can eventually be fatal, so hopefully Woods has found another treatment option that works for her. Woods told CNN that she wanted to spend most of her focus on her son and charity work, distributing resources to the homeless in L.A.'s notorious ‘Skid Row’ community. “I just want to get to the point where I can dedicate my life completely to this project that me and [business partner] Tai [Savet] started," she said.
Learning About Melanoma
Melanoma 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.
Helping You Cope With Skin Cancer
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. 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. And while the
American Cancer Society (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).
Am I at High Risk for Melanoma? 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 , a medical oncologist with Weill Cornell Medicine who specializes in treating skin cancer. 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. Once you've been diagnosed with melanoma, your doctor will typically tell you the stage of your melanoma based on how far the cancer has spread. The way that melanoma spreads is a bit different from other cancers. The higher the stage of melanoma, the deeper it has spread into the layers of your skin, and the more serious your cancer is. Melanoma is known mostly as a cancer of the skin. Melanocytes are the cells of the skin that produce the pigment melanin that colors the skin, hair, and eyes. They can also form moles, which is typically the origin of a melanoma diagnosis. Melanoma is staged based on how deep the cancer has infiltrated the skin.
- Stage 1: less than 1 mm in depth and easily removed by a dermatologist
- Stage 2: greater than 1mm in depth and removed by a surgical oncologist
- Stage 3 : greater than 2 mm or 3 mm in depth and has spread into the lymph nodes
- Stage 4 : most advanced stage representing cancer that has spread to other parts of the body
There are treatments for all stages of melanoma, although the cure rate is highest for those in the earlier stages. Treatment options may include
surgery , chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
Later-Stage Melanoma Treatment
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 block proteins and other substances the cancer needs to grow, while immunotherapy boosts your body's own response to help it fight the cancer better. With so many more choices available, treatment can be tailored to you. These therapies are more likely than chemotherapy to control your cancer, but like any treatment they can
cause side effects. Immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) can help some people with this cancer live longer. Whether these drugs are right for you depends on a number of factors, including where the melanoma is and how fast it's spreading. Combining immunotherapy drugs might also extend survival. But again,
these treatments have risks that are important to discuss with your doctor. There's also a vaccine that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people whose melanoma has spread and can't be removed with surgery.
Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is a modified herpes virus that kills cancer cells when doctors inject it directly into the cancer. Researchers, including some of SurvivorNet's own experts, are studying other groundbreaking melanoma treatments in
clinical trials . Enrolling in one of these studies might give you access to a new treatment before it's available to everyone else. Once you've finished treatment for melanoma, it can come with a huge sense of relief. Celebrate your successes, but stay vigilant. It is possible for this cancer to come back in the future. Whether your cancer is likely to return may depend on your stage, so screening recommendations vary. If you had early-stage melanoma, you should have a skin exam once every three to six months. If you had late-stage melanoma, in addition to regular skin exams every three to six months, you may also need imaging scans or blood tests to monitor for signs of recurrence. You should also report any symptoms such as a headache, changes in vision, cough, fatigue, or weight loss to your doctor.
Focusing on the Positive Amid Cancer
Although Slick Woods has chosen not to continue treatment, and her health status is currently unclear, one thing is for sure—her positive attitude and joy for modeling even while living with late stage melanoma is admirable. His resilience and bravery to keep focusing on things that make her happy is certainly a remarkable quality. This is something
Dr. Zuri Murrell , of Cedars-Sinai says helps a cancer patient’s prognosis. "A positive attitude is really important,” Dr. Murrell previously told SurvivorNet. "My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they’re diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow."
WATCH: Dr. Zuri Murrell discusses the power of positivity. Other experts SurvivorNet have spoken to recommend that anyone facing cancer make sure they continue to prioritize their overall well-being and do the things that they love, just like York is doing. Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecological oncologist at Arizona Center for Cancer Care, says people with cancer should be making time to do things that make them happy. “We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Chase said.
Dr. Dana Chase discusses the importance of patients finding joy during treatment. “So working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities,” Dr. Chase explained.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you’re battling cancer or on the other side of it, and you’re struggling with your outlook on life, here are some questions you may consider asking your doctor to get the conversation started:
- What can I do if I’m struggling to be thankful for what I have in my life?
- Are there local resources for people wishing to improve their mental health?
- What else can I do to help reduce my stress level during my cancer journey?
- It’s difficult for me to find happiness and joy. How can I find help?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff 
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