Cast of The Big Bang Theory urge viewers to get tested for adolescent melanoma

July 27, 2016

Claire Wagonhurst died at the age of 17 after long skin cancer battle
She develop adolescent melanoma as a result of body changes in puberty
Now cast of her favorite show Big Bang Theory is warning other fans
They have recorded a public service announcement saying to get tested

Mia De Graaf For Dailymail.com

Published:
17:18 EST, 27 July 2016

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Updated:
17:32 EST, 27 July 2016

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The cast of CBS’s hit comedy show The Big Bang Theory has filmed a public service announcement to raise awareness about skin cancer after learning of the death of a young fan.

The video features the cast reminding young fans to have their skin checked by a dermatologist for melanoma.

It comes after they learned about 17-year-old Claire Wagonhurst, a Baltimore County high school student who died from adolescent melanoma in October 2014.

Her death came just two days after she learned that she had got into college.

Wagonhurst’s mother, Marianne Banister, a former WBAL-TV news anchor, says her daughter frequently watched The Big Bang Theory as the melanoma progressed and her vision declined.

Now, in a bid to promote the cause on behalf of the Wagonhurst family’s charity, the Claire Marie Foundation, the stars of the show have appeared together to describe the symptoms and dangers.

Tragic: Claire Wagonhurst (above), a 17-year-old Baltimore County high school student, died from adolescent melanoma in October 2014 just two days after learning that she had got into college

The cast of Claire’s favorite show, The Big Bang Theory, have come together to describe the dangers

Adolescent melanoma does not bear all the hallmarks of adult melanoma, which is far more commonly discussed.

And it is not necessarily caused by sun exposure, one of the key causes of adult melanoma.

Often – like in Claire’s case – it is the result of body changes during puberty.

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‘You already know puberty has its challenges,’ lead actress Kaley Cuoco says to the camera. ‘But you probably didn’t know that deadly skin cancer is one of them.’

She goes on to explain that adolescent melanoma is the second most common cancer in young people, calling it a ‘silent killer’.

The disease typically strikes sufferers between the ages of 10 and 19.

‘Adolescent melanoma is different because it is often caused by genetic factors and hormone changes that occur oly in young people,’ Johnny Galecki says.

Kaley Cuoco explains that adolescent melanoma is the second most common cancer in young people

Johnny Galecki, who plays Leonard on the show, takes viewers through the unusual origin of the disease

It does not bear all the hallmarks of adult melanoma, which is more often discussed, as Jim Parson explains

WHAT IS TEEN MELANOMA?

Adolescent melanoma does not bear all the hallmarks of adult melanoma, which is far more commonly discussed.

And it is not necessarily caused by sun exposure, one of the key causes of adult melanoma.

Often – like in Claire’s case – it is the result of body changes during puberty.

The disease typically strikes sufferers between the ages of 10 and 19.

It is particularly common in women under the age of 30.

In many cases, it is not obvious. It can appear as a wart or a spot.

Jim Parsons, the lead actor who plays Sheldon on the show, adds: ‘And symptoms are missed because it doesn’t always look like adult melanoma.’

The group – also including Mayim Bialik, Melissa Rauch, Kunal Nayyar, and Simon Helberg – urge viewers to get screened by a qualified dermatologist once a year.

Adolescent melanoma is particularly common in women under the age of 30.

In many cases, it is not obvious. It can appear as a wart or a spot.

Their announcement coincides with the news that the US Preventative Services Task Force has refused to recommend melanoma screening as a clinic necessity.

The tests did not meet the board’s ‘gold standard’ criteria, with fears it could lead to overdiagnosis and misuse of specialist clinicians’ time.

Earlier this week two leading physicians slammed the decision as overly cautious, putting lives at risk.

In an invited commentary in JAMA – the journal of the American Medical Association – Drs Martin Weinstock and Hensin Tsao agree that the evidence doesn’t meet the task force’s standards.

However, they believe any attempt to catch cancer should be supported and rolled out as quickly as possible.

‘If you were to take a poll among practicing dermatologists, you’d find the vast majority believe that early detection reduces risk of death from melanoma,’ said Weinstock, a professor of dermatology at Brown University and chief of dermatology at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

‘Skin self-examination and clinician skin examination are a means of early detection. That’s the predominant tool that we have.

‘It makes eminent sense that primary care doctors should be trained to do examination for melanoma.’