Last of the Ramones, Tommy Ramone, Dies of Cancer at 62

Drummer Tommy Ramone, the last survival of the influential punk rock band the Ramones has died. Born Erdélyi Tamás, in Budapest, Hungary, Tommy Ramone was the drummer for the band from 1974 to 1978, and co-produced the band’s first three albums. He had been battling bile duct cancer, and succumbed while in hospice care.

The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Among the Ramones best-known songs were “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Teenage Lobotomy,” “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Beat on The Brat.”

Johnny Ramone, whose birth name was John Cummings, died in 2004 of prostate cancer. Joey Ramone, whose real name is Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 of lymphatic cancer. Dee Dee Ramone, whose real name is Douglas Colvin, died from a drug overdose in 2002.

Here’s my favorite Ramones song. ENJOY!

Five things to know about bile duct cancer

1. Extrahepatic (outside the liver) bile duct cancer is a rare disease in which cancer cells form in the ducts that are outside the liver.

The extrahepatic bile duct is made up of two parts:

• Common hepatic duct
• Common bile duct

The extrahepatic bile duct is part of a network of ducts (tubes) that connect the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. This network begins in the liver where many small ducts collect bile (a fluid made by the liver to break down fats during digestion). The small ducts come together to form the right and left hepatic ducts, which lead out of the liver. The two ducts join outside the liver and form the common hepatic duct. Bile from the liver passes through the hepatic ducts, common hepatic duct and cystic duct and is stored in the gallbladder.

When food is being digested, bile stored in the gallbladder is released and passes through the cystic duct to the common bile duct and into the small intestine.

2. Having colitis or certain liver diseases can increase the risk of extrahepatic bile duct cancer.

3. Signs and symptoms of extrahepatic bile duct cancer include:

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes)
• Pain in the abdomen
• Fever
• Itchy skin

4. Tests that examine the bile duct and liver are used to detect (find) and diagnose extrahepatic bile duct cancer.

5. Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options:

• The stage of the cancer (whether it affects only the bile duct or has spread to other places in the body).
• Whether the tumor can be completely removed by surgery.
• Whether the tumor is in the upper or lower part of the duct.
• Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred (come back).

If you would like additional details about bile duct cancer, see our story about Soul singer Sharon Jones.