Predicting overall survival in patients (pts) with treatment-naive metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (mMCC) treated with avelumab.

Bylina

et al. 2021

IJMS

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon and highly aggressive skin cancer. It develops mostly within chronically sun-exposed areas of the skin. MCPyV is detected in 60–80% of MCC cases as integrated within the genome and is considered a major risk factor for MCC. Viral negative MCCs have a high mutation burden with a UV damage signature. Aberrations occur in RB1, TP53, and NOTCH genes as well as in the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. MCC is highly immunogenic, but MCC cells are known to evade the host’s immune response. Despite the characteristic immunohistological profile of MCC, the diagnosis is challenging, and it should be confirmed by an experienced pathologist. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is considered the most reliable staging tool to identify subclinical nodal disease. Subclinical node metastases are present in about 30–50% of patients with primary MCC. The basis of MCC treatment is surgical excision. MCC is highly radiosensitive. It becomes chemoresistant within a few months. MCC is prone to recurrence. The outcomes in patients with metastatic disease are poor, with a historical 5-year survival of 13.5%. The median progression-free survival is 3–5 months, and the median overall survival is ten months. Currently, immunotherapy has become a standard of care first-line therapy for advanced MCC.

Section: Immunotherapymentioning

confidence: 60%

Merkel Cell Carcinoma from Molecular Pathology to Novel Therapies

Stachyra

Bylina

et al. 2021

IJMS

“…Subsequent analyses were published in 2018 and used novel statistical methods to extrapolate long-term patient survival data. For patients treated with avelumab in the firstline setting, the expected mean survival rate was calculated to be 49.9 months (6.3; 179.4), and 1 year and 5 year survival rates were 66% and 23%, respectively [23]. For patients treated with avelumab in the second-line or later setting, the expected mean survival rate was calculated to be 42.3 months (28.4; 77.4), and 1 year and 5 year survival rates were 51% and 19%, respectively.…”

Section: Avelumab -First-line Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avelumab use in Merkel cell carcinoma treatment

Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology

Zwierzchowska

Bylina

et al. 2022

“…The second phase trial, JAVELIN Merkel 200, also resulted in the registration for the first line of treatment of advanced MCC. The data concerning the survival of these patients, published in 2018, point to a mean survival rate of 49.9 months (6.3; 179.4) with the one year and five year survival rates being 66% and 23% respectively [37]. So far no predictive factors of avelumab treatment response of MCC patients have been established [38].…”

Section: Clinical Stage IVmentioning

confidence: 99%

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) – neuroendocrine skin cancer

Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology

Zdzienicki

Rutkowski

2019

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rarely occurring skin cancer of high malignancy. It develops, most probably, from the neuroendocrine cells (Merkel's cells). The most frequent location of this cancer is the skin of the head and neck (44-48% of cases), and then in the skin of the upper limbs (about 19% of cases) and then the lower limbs (16-20% of cases). The aetiology of this cancer is unknown, yet some role in its pathogenesis is played by ultraviolet light and immunosuppression. The basis of therapy in cases with locoregional spread is surgical intervention, whilst in more advanced cases, an effective systemic treatment is possible with the use of molecularly targeted therapies. This paper presents the current treatment possibilities in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma.