Suspicious Mole Reveals Syrian Singer Faya Younan's Skin Cancer Diagnosis.. How to Protect Yourself?

- The Syrian singer Faya Younan revealed that she was diagnosed with skin cancer last summer, according to a video she posted on her official Instagram page on Saturday. A small mole she noticed on her back was enough to alert her to this.

The singer delayed undergoing tests for months until she booked an appointment at a clinic in Lebanon, where the doctor told her: "It needs to be removed (the mole) today immediately." The analysis results showed that she had malignant melanoma, which is one of the less common types of skin cancer.

Melanoma is considered a rare type of skin cancer, accounting for about 1% of cases, but it is responsible for the vast majority of deaths caused by this disease. This type of cancer begins in the skin but tends to spread to other parts of the body, leading to more fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Later, the singer underwent another procedure to remove the skin surrounding the mole and subjected it to tests to ensure that the cancer had not spread to the surrounding skin cells. Younan confirmed that she cried out of gratitude when she learned that the disease had not spread, explaining that she decided to share her experience a year after her diagnosis to raise awareness.

She wrote on Instagram: "Skin cancer has visible signs, and it can be detected early if we have sufficient awareness." According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization, skin cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, with an estimated 1.5 million new cases expected in 2024.

In the same year, the number of melanoma cases diagnosed globally was estimated at around 340,000, while nearly 60,000 people died from this disease. Here are signs that may indicate skin cancer: when does a mole become a warning sign?

Regarding melanoma specifically, the following five points, known as the "ABCDE" rule, provide a framework for monitoring any concerning moles: how to prevent skin cancer as advised by the academy, it is recommended to perform regular self-examinations of the skin and to consult a dermatologist if any new or concerning spots are noticed on the skin.