YouTube star Ninja diagnosed with cancer after spotting mole on foot

32-year-old YouTuber Ninja has revealed to fans that he has melanoma after spotting a mole on his foot. Credit: X via Ninja

Professional gamer and YouTuber Ninja, also known as Tyler Blevins, has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer after spotting a warning sign on his foot.

After spotting a mole on the bottom of his foot, a dermatologist diagnosed the 32-year-old with melanoma.

Doctors have told the streamer they are "optimistic" after catching the condition early.

Ninja, who is the most followed person on the streaming channel Twitch with 18.8 million followers, revealed he had a biopsy taken of the area and had the skin around the melanoma removed.

Speaking on X, the YouTube star said: "Alright I’m still in a bit of shock but want to keep you all updated. A few weeks ago I went in to a dermatologist for an annual skin/mole check that Jess proactively scheduled for me.

"There was a mole on the bottom of my foot that they wanted to remove just to be careful. It came back as melanoma, but they are optimistic that we caught it in the early stages.

"I had another dark spot appear near it, so today they biopsied that and removed a larger area around the melanoma with the hopes that under the microscope they will see clear non-melanoma edges and we will know we got it."

He went on to urge his followers to have early check-ups to have their skin checked.

What is melanoma and what are the warning signs?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body. The main cause of melanoma is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds.

Main symptoms

  • A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma

  • Mole with an uneven shape or edges

  • Mole with a mix of colours

  • Large mole

  • Mole that changes over time

See a GP if you have a mole that has changed size, shape, colour, is itchy or painful, is inflamed, bleeding or crusty.

The NHS also recommends seeing a GP if you have a new mark on your skin that has not gone away after a few weeks or a dark area under a nail that has not been caused by injury.

NHS skin cancer page visited every 13 seconds after Duchess of York diagnosis

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…