An Instagram photo led to a skin cancer diagnoses that may have saved the life of a Michigan man, who is now living cancer-free, Today noted.
In November, Sarah Frei posted a photo to Instagram of her 91-year-old grandfather, John Rzeppa, cradling her brother's two babies in his arms.
One of her followers, Dr. Jennifer Mancuso, an old high school friend who happened to be a board-certified dermatologist in Detroit, saw the photo and immediately noticed a mark on Rzeppa's face.
"I was scrolling through Instagram one morning and I saw this picture of Sarah's grandpa and I've seen pictures of him before, but he had this very obvious melanoma on his forehead," Mancuso told Today. "I think anyone would recognize it with any amount of training. I looked back at some older pictures and it was clear it was growing."
Mancuso immediately messaged Rei, who alerted her mother.
The family had previously been told that the mark, which had been biopsied, was not anything to worry about but a second biopsy confirmed it was skin cancer.
Rzeppa had already survived prostate cancer and two heart attacks.
According to The American Cancer Society, melanoma accounts for about 1 percent of skin cancers but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths.
Doctors were able to remove all of the cancer, and Rzeppa attended Frei's wedding last month.
This incident is just one example of how social media is making a notable impact on cancer patients.
A recent study found that, when cancer strikes, about 74 percent of online adults turn to social media sites to share their experience and connect with others, Universe Narratives noted.
"My mom and I have talked about this a few times ... It's amazing how social media has created this platform for good things to come from it," she told Today.
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