SAG HARBOR, N.Y. – Jimmy Buffett, whose sun-drenched songs celebrated life by the shore, died of a rare, aggressive skin cancer, according to a statement on his website.
Buffett, 76, had Merkel cell cancer, according to the statement, which was posted after initial news of his death emerged Saturday.
He had been fighting the cancer for four years while continuing to perform, the last time making a surprise appearance in Rhode Island in early July, the statement said.
Merkel cell carcinoma, as it's known in medical literature, is very rare and tends to spread quickly, including to parts of the body beyond the skin, according to the federal National Cancer Institute and the Mayo Clinic. Risk factors include a lot of sun exposure, a weakened immune system, a history of other cancers, and being light-skinned and over 50.
Doctor Scott Ackerman at the Ackerman Cancer Center explained how the cancer affects the body.
“Merkel Cell Carcinoma is a fairly rare and frequent skin cancer. It is considered a neuroendocrine cancer of the skin, and it occurs in about 2,000 Americans every year. It’s very aggressive and can be a very deadly cancer,” Ackerman said.
It represents less than 1% of all skin cancers and usually appears as a flesh-colored or bluish-red nodule on the face, head, neck and arms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“The people are generally older. Four out of five people diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma are over the age of 70. It’s predominantly in men, not women. Men have it about two times as likely as women. It’s also more common in Caucasians,” Ackerman said.
Early detection like most cancers can make a difference in treatment.
“Treatment is generally surgery to remove it, and nearly all the time if it’s caught early to remove it and radiation after surgery,” Ackerman said. “We need to treat the area where it has resected and the lymph nodes.”