‘The Doctor of Thuganomics’ Wrestler John Cena, 47, Reveals Past Skin Cancer Diagnoses: ‘Thought The Problem Would Never Reach Me’

He explained how he grew up in a small town near the beach in northern Massachusettes, telling People, “Some of my earliest memories of summer are of small carnivals and people walking the beachside.”

As for taking care of his skin during that time of his life, he recalled “never” wearing sun screen.

Cena continued, “My mom [Carol] raised five boys and I’m pretty sure she just wanted to just keep us alive and healthy. She had her hands full for sure, so I certainly do not blame her. And me being born in ’77, this was kind of all new knowledge.”

He also recounted his “love” for the sun, which he embraced in his early 20s when he moved to Florida, a time in his life where he “neglected” his skin.

Cena explained further, “I didn’t want to have a routine and I also thought the problem would never reach me. And it’s one of those things where I had a ton of exposure with minimal protection and it caught up with me.”

“It wasn’t until I went to a dermatologist and got a skin checkup and had a cancerous spot removed from my right pec.”

What You Need to Know About Skin Cancer

One year after the first cancer diagnosis, he had a “white polka dot” removed, which was located on his right shoulder, which also was deemed cancerous.

He concluded, “I’m at a great space in my life where that’s now important to me. And I’m so grateful to be able to dodge those two bullets, but I wear them as a reminder of, ‘Hey man, you need to take the extra few seconds to protect yourself every day.'”

Offering some additional advice to People, regarding his new concern for skin health, Cena said, “If you’re out there and you brush your teeth, at a young age you learned that going to the dentist when your teeth are in bad shape is bad because it’s painful.

“The same thing will happen if you don’t take care of your skin, and it’s actually easier than brushing your teeth.”

He continued, “Because it’s not something you should exercise to just make you look more beautiful. It’s something you should exercise to allow you to be who you are for a longer period of time.”

Understanding Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the skin.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States,” with nearly five million people treated for it every year.

There are three main types of skin cancer, ranging from the most mild to the most dangerous form:

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

This is a highly treatable form of skin cancer. The basal cells are small, round cells in the lowest part of the epidermis, which is the skin’s outer layer. Cancer can begin in these cells, whose job is to create new cells as old ones die.

Approximately 3 million Americans a year are treated for BCC, including President Joe Biden. Biden, who spent a lot of time in the sun during his youth, has had BCC removed twice from his body.

BCC is often a slow-growing form of cancer, usually diagnosed under a microscope after the suspicious lesion or lump has been removed from the body. SurvivorNet explains that removal can happen in many ways, from surgery to freezing to laser removal.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

This forms in the squamous cells of the body. According to the National Cancer Institute, these cells are found on “the surface of the skin, the lining of the hollow organs of the body, and the lining of the respiratory and digestive tracts,” in other words, in various parts of your body.

Like BCC, it is usually treatable, but “it can be aggressive” says the Mayo Clinic.

Melanoma

This is the most dangerous skin cancer. Essentially, this is a cancer of the melanocytes, the skin cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist in the Centers of Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, previously told SurvivorNet, “Melanoma gets lumped in together as a skin cancer. But it is quite different compared to squamous cell or basal cell.”

Many people are diagnosed with melanoma when they notice a new mole or a previous mole that has changed in appearance.

Only a biopsy can tell if the mole is cancerous or not. Dr. Larocca says, “On average, for about every 12 biopsies that they do, one of them turns out to be melanoma.”

READ MORE: Am I at High Risk for Melanoma?

Melanoma has the potential to be deadly if it moves beyond the skin and invades other organs. However, Dr. Anna Pavlick, an oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, explained to SurvivorNet that people with stage 1 melanoma have a 90% chance of being cured and people with stage 2 have a 75-80% chance of being cured from surgical excision alone.

People with stage 3 have a 50% chance of being cured with only surgical excision, but there are also many other treatments that are available beyond surgery.

“It’s a very different world now than it was even five years ago,” she says of the medicine that can impact survival rates.

Who is at risk for skin cancer? Anyone who is exposed to sunlight, according to experts. That’s pretty much everybody.

It’s true, according to the CDC, “The most preventable cause of skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds.”

However, it is also true that some people are at more risk for several reasons. Dr. Lewin explains those risk factors as having:

• More than 50 moles
• A propensity to burn; for example, “if you’re a blonde or a redhead,” he says, this might be the case
• A history of melanoma in yourself or your family
• Sun exposure history, to natural sunlight or tanning bed

Prevention and Self-Care: Reducing the Risks

Skin cancer prevention may seem challenging, but it’s entirely possible with the right awareness and simple, regular care routines.

Firstly, keep in mind that a lot of skin cancers come from overexposure to ultraviolet, or UV light, heavily present in sunlight. But here’s the good news – there are some really practical and straightforward measures you can take:

• Wear sunscreen: Yes, this could be your best friend when it comes to preventing skin cancer. Make sure it’s broad-spectrum (meaning it blocks both UVA and UVB rays) and has an SPF of at least 30. Apply it generously, and reapply it every two hours, or and more often if you are swimming or perspiring.
• Seek shade: Especially during the hours when the sun is the strongest, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. We know, it can be hard to stay indoors, but it’s about balance. Have an outdoor activity planned? Try to also plan some shade breaks.
• Protective clothing: Besides, shade and sunscreen, clothing can provide a physical barrier against the sun’s harmful rays. Look for specially designed sun-protective clothing or dark, tightly woven clothes. Don’t forget your broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses too!

If you’re a sun lover, you can of course try out some self-tanning sun products. But remember, even though you’re getting that bronzed look, you still need to apply sunscreen!

We also recommend regular skin self-examinations. These can help you identify changes in your skin appearance early. If you notice anything unusual, such as a new growth, an irritation or sore that won’t heal, or a change in an old skin lesion, make sure you get it checked by a dermatologist.

Prevention is about regular, everyday actions – not single grand gestures. Try incorporating these tips into your lifestyle slowly, and before you know it, they will become second nature. It all adds up and lowers your risk significantly.

Coping With Stress Amid Health Struggles

When a stressful life event occurs, people may react with a range of different (and quickly changing) emotions. This is completely normal.

“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”

Responding to Stress: How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions

Dr. Plutchik spoke to SurvivorNet about how people react after a cancer diagnosis which can be a huge range of emotions from fear to anger to determination. However, the conclusion remains the same no matter what stressor someone may be dealing with: your emotions are valid and seeking mental health help may look different for every person.

“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explained. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process.”

Dr. Plutchik said that the patient, or person going through the stressful event, should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support whether that’s a therapist, friends and family, or both to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions.

If a stressful event is affecting how you think and feel, it may be time to seek some sort of mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking out a support group, or many other approaches.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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