MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE SKIN

Course overview

MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA (MCC) IS A RARE, AGGRESSIVE NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR OF THE SKIN WITH INCREASING INCIDENCE. IT MOST FREQUENTLY PRESENTS ON THE HEAD AND NECK REGION OF ELDERLY, WHITE MALES. SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS INCLUDE ULTRAVIOLET (UV) EXPOSURE, ADVANCING AGE, AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSION, AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH MERKEL CELL POLYOMAVIRUS (MCPYV) INFECTION. SKIN BIOPSY IS DIAGNOSTIC, AND SENTINEL LYMPH NODE EVALUATION SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN ALL PATIENTS WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH MCC, AS THE DISEASE TYPICALLY HAS A RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE COURSE. TREATMENT CONSISTS OF WIDE LOCAL EXCISION WITH OR WITHOUT ADJUVANT RADIOTHERAPY FOR THE LOCAL DISEASE. NEW THERAPIES FOR METASTATIC MCC HAVE SHOWN PROMISE AND INCLUDE IMMUNE-BASED THERAPIES. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF THE PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.