What are the signs and symptoms of Merkel cell skin cancer? [Video]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – After a four-year battle, beloved singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett died of Merkel cell carcinoma last week.

Though Merkel cell carcinoma is 40-times more rare than melanoma, it tends to be much more aggressive, often recurring in patients. Early detection, however, can make this cancer easier to treat.

22News spoke with Baystate Health oncologist Dr. John McCann, who broke down how this cancer differs from other skin cancers, including signs and symptoms, “Typically what someone sees when they develop a Merkel cell cancer is usually a lump that’s either tan or reddish looking. It’s not what we think about with melanoma where it can be very dark. It is different in most of the other skin cancers that we see, in that it can be very aggressive and tends to spread very early on in its course.”

Typical risk factors include having fair skin and prolonged sun exposure. …