Some of the most dramatic scenes in the new Bob Marley biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love” have to do with the reggae legend’s battle with a rare cancer called acral lentiginous melanoma. Unlike melanomas that are caused by sun exposure, acral lentiginous melanomas form on non-hair-bearing surfaces of the body, including the palms of the hand, the soles and heels of the feet, and the nailbeds of the fingers and toes.
In Marley’s case, the cancer formed under the nail of one of his big toes. Doctors originally thought the lesion was a sports injury, but it was later found to be cancerous. The cancer eventually spread throughout the singer’s body, causing his death at age 36.
We talked with University of Colorado Cancer Center member Kasey Couts, PhD, assistant professor of medical oncology in the CU School of Medicine and co-director of the CU Center for Rare Melanomas, to learn more about acral lentiginous melanoma and how it is diagnosed and treated.