Jimmy Buffett Died From Merkel Cell Carcinoma, A Rare Skin Cancer
News outlets report on the death of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett from a rare but aggressive type of skin cancer — about 2,500 cases of Merkel cell carcinoma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Also in the news: prostate and cervical cancer, plus AI's potential for detecting cancers.
The New York Times:
Jimmy Buffett Died Of Rare Form Of Skin Cancer
Jimmy Buffett died of skin cancer at his home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., on Long Island, according to a statement on the singer-songwriter’s website. After Mr. Buffett died on Friday at age 76, his site announced the death but did not give a cause or specify where he died. In an update over the weekend, the website said that he had Merkel cell carcinoma for four years. A rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, Merkel cell is diagnosed only about 2,500 times a year in the United States, and until recent years it had carried a life expectancy of five months. (Sisario, 9/4)
Fox News:
Merkel Cell Carcinoma, The Disease That Killed Jimmy Buffett: What To Know About This Illness
MCC is a rare but aggressive type of skin cancer that is known to have a high rate of recurring and spreading, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF). Around 3,000 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. That number is expected to reach 3,250 by 2025. The disease is 40 times rarer than melanoma, the SCF states on its website. (Rudy, 9/3)
CNN:
What To Know About Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Jimmy Buffett’s Rare Cancer
The condition was named for German scientist Friedrich Merkel, who first described that type of cell in 1875. Merkel cells are thought to be a kind of neuroendocrine cell found at the base of the surface of the skin, the epidermis. They’re close to the nerve endings in the skin that let you feel a light touch. (Christensen, 9/4)
In other news about cancer —
The Wall Street Journal:
When Screening For Prostate Cancer Comes Too Late
Prostate cancer loomed over David Weigand’s family: His uncle had the disease, and his father died of it. Yet widely followed recommendations for prostate-cancer screening didn’t consider him eligible for a test. In 2021, he got tested anyway at his partner Cody Green’s urging. Weigand was 53 at the time—two years below the age when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says men should consider testing for levels of prostate-specific antigen, or PSA. He had no symptoms. (Abbott, 9/4)
Axios:
Sizing Up AI's Promise And Limitations In Cancer Detection
Amid new signs that AI could transform cancer care, clinicians and health systems are taking stock of thorny ethical and practical questions that still stand in the way of the technology's widespread adoption. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and innovations like AI-enhanced mammography could detect cases sooner and cut down on unnecessary tests and treatments. (Saric, 9/5)
KFF Health News:
Mississippi’s Cervical Cancer Deaths Indicate Broader Health Care Problems
Shementé Jones knew something wasn’t right. Her back hurt. She felt pain during sex. She said she kept telling her doctor something was wrong. Her doctor told her, “Just wash your underwear in Dreft,” Jones said, referring to a brand of detergent. Within months of that 2016 appointment, Jones, who lives in a suburb of Jackson, Mississippi, was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer. She underwent a hysterectomy then weeks of radiation therapy. “I ended up fine,” said Jones, now 43. “But what about all the other women?” (Anderson, 9/5)
