Jimmy Buffett’s Rare Cancer: 5 Things to Know About Merkel Cell Carcinoma

The news of Jimmy Buffett’s death has put a spotlight on a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer, known as Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The musician was diagnosed with the disease four years ago, according to a statement posted on his website, and he continued to perform throughout his battle with the cancer. 

Only about 2,000 cases of MCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, mostly in older adults, according to the American Cancer Society. Here’s what you need to know about MCC, including its warning signs and symptoms.

1. It may be easy to overlook at first  

Unlike some of the more well-known skin cancers that can appear mole-like, MCC tends to pop up on sun-exposed skin (face, neck and arms) as a painless pink, red or even flesh-colored bump, says William Dahut, M.D., chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.  

“If you saw it, you might just think it’s like a lipoma [a round lump of tissue that grows beneath the skin] or something, particularly the ones that are flesh- colored,” Dahut says. Some experts say MCC can even look like a pimple at first, making the cancer easy to overlook.

2. It grows and spreads quickly

However, unlike a harmless lipoma or a pimple, MCC spreads quickly, Dahut says. The single lump can grow larger in size, or new lumps on the skin can develop.

The cancer can also spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, and in doing so may cause them to grow large enough to be seen or felt as lumps under the skin, most often in the neck or under the arms.

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to MCC. “A spot that seems small still can have that risk of spreading to some other part inside the body,” says James Isaacs, M.D., a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic. 

3. Some people are more at risk than others

Musician Jimmy Buffett, performing in 2007. Buffett died on Sept. 1, 2023, four years after being diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare but aggressive form of skin cancer.

Tom Briglia / Getty Images

People who have a weakened immune system are more likely to develop MCC, experts say. The same goes for individuals who have a history of skin cancer and who have light-colored skin. Dehut says about 95 percent of patients with the rare cancer are white. Men are also more likely than women to be diagnosed with MCC.

Another risk factor is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, so people who use tanning beds, have a history of severe sunburns, or receive light therapy to treat psoriasis or other skin diseases are at greater risk.