The death of Patricia Rite, former manager of Mujeres y Hombres y Viceversa, has shocked our country. The young woman passed away last Sunday after several years fighting against skin cancer that has made it very difficult for her.
Despite not losing hope and characterized by her beautiful smile, the latest tests revealed the sad end that the disease would have for Rite. ''The CT has not gone as I expected, my head feels like it is going to explode at any moment. I feel very sad, very sorry, and for the first time a little afraid,'' he explained a few weeks ago.
"Today Patricia Rite has left us. Her mother and her family ask for respect in these hard times. Thanks to all the people who, in one way or another, have given her support and love during this time, directly or indirectly "His family communicated through a story on his official Instagram profile.
The 30-year-old was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2019 as a result of a mole she had since she was little. The worst thing about the influencer's diagnosis was that her cancer was metastatic, that is, it had already spread from the place where it was formed to different parts of the body far from the original point. Cancer cells had spread to other parts of the body, so it was his turn to fight a real battle against time.
As explained by the Mayo Clinic, skin cancer occurs mainly on areas of the skin most exposed to the sun, such as the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, and hands. and, in the case of women, the legs. But this does not mean that this disease can also develop in areas that rarely see the light of day: the palms of the hands, under the fingernails or toenails, and the genital area.
There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The former usually occurs on sun-exposed areas of the body and usually shows up as a waxy or pearly bump, a flat, skin-colored or brown scar-like lesion, or a crusty or bleeding sore that heals and comes back.
Squamous cell carcinoma is also common on sun-exposed areas and may appear as a firm, red nodule or as a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.
Finally, melanoma can form anywhere on the body, on normal skin or on an existing mole that turns cancerous. Signs of melanoma can range from the appearance of a brownish area with dark speckles, a mole that changes color, size, feel, or bleeds, a small lesion with an irregular border and parts that appear red, pink, white, blue, painful, itchy or burning lesion, dark lesions on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, pads of fingers or toes, or on the mucosal lining of the mouth, nose , the vagina or the anus.
Among the different risk factors for this type of cancer, there is a greater risk in people with fair skin (since they have less melanin and less protection from ultraviolet rays). A history of sunburn, radiation, very hot climates, and sun exposure are also essential in many cases. In addition, it should be noted that people who have many moles are at greater risk of skin cancer, as is the case with precancerous skin lesions. Finally, it is necessary to see if the person has a weakened immune system and if he has a family and personal history of skin cancer.
As prevention, professionals from the Mayo Clinic recommend being careful with photosensitizing medications, avoiding tanning beds and the sun during midday, using sunscreen year-round and protective clothing, as well as monitoring the skin regularly and reporting the changes to your doctor.
