Five Hundred Patients With Merkel Cell Carcinoma Evaluated at a Single Institution

Abstract

OS is a poor measure of the influence of MCC on life expectancy. The presence of lymphovascular invasion and clinically, but not microscopically, positive lymph nodes were associated with increased DSD. These factors should be incorporated into MCC staging and treatment recommendations.

Merkel cell carcinoma of lymph node with unknown primary has a significantly lower association with Merkel cell polyomavirus than its cutaneous counterpart

“…Eventually 763 cases of cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma were retrieved from the English literature and included in our review. 15,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] …”

Widespread Metastatic Involvement in a Patient with Merkel Cell Carcinoma on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT: Case Report

“…1 It arises from neuroendocrine cells within the basal layer of the epidermis and has a tendency to lymph node recurrence and distant metastases. [2][3] It has higher mortality than melanoma with a high rate of 5-year-specific mortality (46%). 4 Surgery is a principle treatment modality at the local stage.…”

Is a “Merkel” Just Like a Melanoma? The Pathologic Analysis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Specimens

“…This is certainly reflected in the large differences in LVSI reported in series of MCC. 3,8 What then, if anything, is to be done with primary tumor variables for which conflicting reports exist in the literature with respect to their association with outcomes in MCC? Once again, some perspective from melanoma is helpful.…”

“…3 Although this analysis provides a comprehensive analysis (similar to the AJCC melanoma database) of the natural history of MCC at a tertiary referral center, it is still limited by the rarity of the disease and the biases of any single-institution study. For example, as a stand-alone cancer center, we did not have a large number of immunosuppressed solid organ transplant patients with MCC in our data set, which differs from many other single-institution series of MCC.…”

“…3,7 It is logical that depth and LVSI should have a relationship, because deeper tumors will have access to the lymphovascular spaces. It may be that LVSI, which can be somewhat represented by depth, is a critical variable in predicting outcomes in MCC.…”