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Merkel cell carcinoma: an uncommon and challenging disease entity
Radiation Oncology, Schiffler Cancer Center, Wheeling, WV
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous malignancy with an aggressive course and a propensity to involve regional lymph nodes. Of the many pathologic features of this disease, only tumor diameter at presentation appears to routinely predict a higher risk of local recurrence and distant metastases. The value of sentinel node biopsy in staging the disease and identifying occult lymph node metastases is unclear. Adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery is effective in reducing the rate of locoregional recurrence but appears to have little impact on the rate of distant metastases—and therefore survival. The response of patients to systemic adjuvant chemotherapy is unpredictable, and no standard chemotherapeutic regimen is available.
| Commun Oncol 2007;4:610–612, 615 | full text |  86 kb |