Scientists uncover surprising secrets about the rare skin cancer that killed Bob Marley

Music-lovers across the world mourned when Bob Marley died in 1981 aged just 36. Now – 33 years later – scientists have unlocked some of the secrets to the rare form of skin cancer that killed him.

And unlike most forms of skin cancer, it has nothing to do with sunlight.

The type of cancer that killed Marley is known as acral melanoma. It most often affects the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, nail beds and other hairless areas of the skin. Unusually for skin cancer, it is not caused by the damaging effect of ultraviolet rays.

Why’s this type of cancer so different?

Reggae-star Marley was given a state funeral in his native Jamaica. (Fairall/AP)

Scientists from Manchester University studying six patients with acral melanoma found large chunks of DNA had broken off and re-attached in the wrong place.

In other types of skin cancer there were much smaller DNA defects.

Is this knowledge going to help us prevent it?

(AP)

Hopefully, yes. Professor Richard Marais, director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, said that the research “is a major step towards understanding what causes this unique form of cancer, and how it can best be treated”.

Nell Barrie, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, agreed: “We hope that understanding the faults that drive acral melanoma will unlock better ways of treating this rare yet aggressive type of skin cancer. Our scientists are striving to improve survival for all cancer patients, including those with rarer forms of the disease.”