What To Know About the Rare Cancer That Killed Beloved Comedian

Stand-up comedian TV actor Alex Duong recently died at 42 after a year-long treatment for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.

What is Rhabdomyosarcoma?

Rhabdomyosarcoma starts as a growth of cells in soft tissue and most often starts in muscle tissue, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Although rhabdomyosarcoma can start anywhere in the body, it's more likely to start in the:

• Head and neck area.
• Urinary system, such as the bladder.
• Reproductive system, such as the vagina, uterus and testes.
• Arms and legs.

What Are Causes Of Rhabdomyosarcoma?

This rare cancer tends to affect children younger than the age of 10, according to the American Cancer Society.

Rarely, rhabdomyosarcoma is linked to genetics. These include neurofibromatosis 1, Noonan syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and Costello syndrome.

How Many People in the U.S. Have Gotten a Rhabdomyosarcoma Diagnosis?

Each year, about 350 to 400 children are diagnosed each year with this rare cancer. In adults, it affects only about 1 percent of small tissue cancers, called sarcomas, annually.

Duong experienced pain and swelling in his eye before his diagnosis. After a year of aggressive treatment, the cancer spread to his spine and brain, which led to septic shock. Septic shock shuts down your internal organs, causing death.

His friend created a GoFundMe campaign to help his wife and five-year-old daughter, to help offset the $400,000 in medical bills.

"Anyone who knows Alex knows that he is the kind of person who shows up for others. He brings warmth, kindness, and humor wherever he goes—always making people laugh, even on their hardest days. Now, he needs us to show up for him," the GoFundMe page said prior to his passing.