According to Cancer Research UK, it starts in the Merkel cells, which are usually in the top layer of the skin. These cells are near the nerve endings and they help us respond to touch.

Melanoma is the rarest form of skin cancer, and the only one linked to new moles. Here, a dermatologist shares more common ...

Singer Jimmy Buffett died of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare skin cancer, in September. Here’s what to know about the cancer, including symptoms and treatment.

Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who died Sept. 1, had Merkel cell carcinoma, a skin cancer that’s diagnosed in fewer than 3,000 people in the U.S. every year.

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.