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Ruben Mesa Shares Personal Skin Cancer Experience to Raise Awareness

Atrium Health/LinkedIn

May 10, 2025, 16:04

Ruben Mesa Shares Personal Skin Cancer Experience to Raise Awareness

Atrium Health shared a post on LinkedIn:

” ‘Don’t ignore your skin changes.’ Dr. Ruben Mesa leads our cancer program and is a world-renowned doctor and researcher. So, when he discovered a dark spot under his hairline – he knew he needed to get it checked.

Like many of our patients, he says he was nervous and anxious as he waited to see the biopsy results. The spot turned out to be nodular basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. He was treated by members of his own team at Atrium Health Levine Cancer with MOHS surgery, a precise procedure for removing skin cancer while minimizing surgery in sensitive areas.

Dr. Mesa is thankful it wasn’t more serious. But he says, ‘Skin cancer is common and can come on younger than you might expect. Sunburns when I was a kid and family history increased my risk. It’s crucial to get your skin checked, protect it from the impact of the sun, and do not ignore skin changes or suspicious moles.’ Dr. Mesa says he’s incredibly grateful to his care team, including world-class specialists Dr. Shahab Babakoohi, Dr. Briana Heniford and Dr. Asim Amin.”

Caitlin Ruiz, Social Media Manager at Advocate Health, shared this post, adding:

“Great personal story shared by Ruben Mesa, MD, leader of our cancer program. Skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer, with more men and women diagnosed each year than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. The good news is that skin cancer is highly preventable and almost always curable when caught and treated early. Good reminder to talk to your doctor about any changes and get routine skin checks!”

Dr. Ruben Mesa shared his diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma, emphasizing the importance of routine skin checks and early detection. He credited his Atrium Health care team for effective treatment and urged others to monitor skin changes and protect themselves from sun exposure.

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