- Singer Jimmy Buffett passed away from Merkel cell carcinoma, according to his sister
- A local doctor said Merkel cell carcinoma often looks like a dark raised bump that starts to grow or change
- Prevention includes wearing sunscreen and staying out of direct sunlight
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A local doctor is weighing in on the diagnosis that led to the death of singer, songwriter and "Margaritaville" extraordinaire Jimmy Buffett.
Buffet, 76, passed away Sept. 1, following a battle with a rare form of skin cancer, according to his sister.
"Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare type of skin cancer that generally affects older patients."Dr. Aaron Blackham, a surgical oncologist, Lehigh Valley Health Network
"Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare type of skin cancer that generally affects older patients,” said Dr. Aaron Blackham, a surgical oncologist at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
"Merkel cell carcinoma generally is a nodule or raised bump that starts to grow in the skin. It usually is a dark color, like a maroon or, you know, red and it grows pretty quick.
"It can grow from just a small pimple size to the size of a dime or a nickel in just a few days."
Blackham said the cancer can be treated if caught early. However, if it’s caught later, as in Buffett’s case, it can be fatal.
"In terms of Jimmy Buffett, it sounded like he was dealing with this for four years," Blackham said. "Which would be expected, he probably went through a lot of treatment before succumbing to this cancer.”
Steps to prevention
Blackham said skin cancer prevention includes using and reapplying sunscreen as well as staying out of the sun during peak hours, which often is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"I think the biggest thing that people do is they forget to reapply it. Even the waterproof sunscreen needs to be reapplied every hour or two and then avoiding those times of days when the sun is most intense.”Dr. Aaron Blackham, a surgical oncologist at Lehigh Valley Health Network
"I think the biggest thing that people do is they forget to reapply it,” Blackham said. “Even the waterproof sunscreen needs to be reapplied every hour or two and then avoiding those times of days when the sun is most intense.”
The other preventative measure, according to the doctor, is to get frequent skin surveillance for high-risk patients, meaning those who have had chronic sun damage to their skin over their lifetime.
Those patients should be seen by a dermatologist for routine skin screenings.
If a person notices any new spots on the skin that weren't there before and that start to grow or change, they should be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible.
