A new report says that the absolutely beloved singer Jimmy Buffett died from lymphoma that actually started as skin cancer four years ago.
The world just learned of Buffett’s passing and an immediate outpouring occurred from people of all walks of life, but particularly from a certain group, perhaps a little closer to middle-age, that came to love his music for the sense of sheer fun it created in their lives. The feeling that life could be carefree and a little more like hat trip to the Caribbean that seemed like years ago.
Read MoreHow Does Skin Cancer Become Lymphoma?
It is not yet known whether Buffett had a diagnosis of melanoma, but scientific sources say it is plausible that melanoma could have become blood cancer, though this is somewhat rare. According to research published in the journal of clinical pathology, “a small but significant proportion of patients with melanoma develop lymphoma, either synchronously or metachronously. Lymph node specimens from melanoma patients might harbour lymphoma, and might represent the first recognised site of disease. A high index of suspicion for lymphoma when evaluating lymph nodes from patients with melanoma will ensure prompt diagnosis and appropriate management.”At SurvivorNet we often debate whether to write articles about folks who have passed away from cancer. We are very mindful that this news can be triggering for people in treatment right now, and for their families. We also know that our mission to conduct patient focused journalism, and create information for public health, is served by using examples of famous well-known people to whom millions of us can relate in some way.
Melanoma
While there has been extraordinary progress in treating melanoma that has spread beyond the skin, too often the progression is still not caught early enough. The use of immunotherapy has dramatically increase the chances for survival when does become so called metastatic. In learning about what may have happened to Jimmy Buffett, we find this material from the government’s main cancer website to be useful
“Melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is often incurable once the cancer has spread from the original site of the tumor to distant organs and tissues. Doctors have known for decades that melanoma and many other cancer types tend to spread first into nearby lymph nodes before entering the blood and traveling to distant parts of the body. But the implications of this detour through the lymph nodes have remained unclear.”
Advanced Melanoma Treatment Is Advancing
For patients with advanced melanoma, a new study finds that the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (also known as Keytruda), if given before and after surgery, may significantly lower the risk of the cancer recurring.
The results of this study could help answer a difficult question about when immunotherapy drugs are best given during a melanoma patient’s treatment. Indeed, the study’s promising results give new hope for patients and may also lead to changes in treatment and the reduction of so-called adjuvant therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation, for melanoma patients who’ve undergone surgery.
“It’s important that patients and physicians are aware of this study as it represents a new potential standard of care,” says Dr. Janice Mehnert, associate director of clinical research at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center. “For patients with high risk disease, delivering immunotherapy prior to surgery must be considered.”
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