Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Description of 11 Cases

• Published in: Actas dermo-sifiliográficas (English ed.) 2021-01, Vol.112 (1), p.63-68
• Main Authors: García-Zamora, E., Vela Ganuza, M., Martín-Alcalde, J., Miñano Medrano, R., Pinedo Moraleda, F., López-Estebaranz, J.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Avelumab; Cancer; Carcinoma de células de Merkel; Cáncer; Merkel cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 1578-2190; 1578-2190
• DOI: 10.1016/j.adengl.2020.12.002

[Display omitted] Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a malignant neuroendocrine tumor. Metastasis or lymph node spread is often detected at diagnosis. We performed a descriptive, retrospective study of patients diagnosed with MMC at Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón in the Community of Madrid, Spain between January 1998 and December 2018. Eleven patients (7 men [63%] and 4 women [36%]; mean age, 77.6 years) were diagnosed with MCC during this 21-year period; 45% of patients had stage IIIB disease (pTNM) at diagnosis. All patients but one underwent local surgery, and lymphovascular invasion was detected in 7 cases. Eight patients received adjuvant therapy after surgery (radiation therapy in 5 cases and chemotherapy in 3). Six patients (54%) died of MCC (mean survival, 14.5 months). MCC is an uncommon malignant tumor with an annual incidence of around 0.18–0.41 cases per 100000 inhabitants; this is similar to the rate of 0.29–0.32 cases per 100000 inhabitants a year detected in our series. Results with avelumab, a drug recently approved for the treatment of metastatic MCC; have been promising. El carcinoma de células de Merkel (CCM) es una neoplasia neuroendocrina maligna. Con frecuencia existe diseminación ganglionar o metástasis al diagnóstico. Realizamos un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de los pacientes con CMM del Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón entre enero/1998 y diciembre/2018. En 21 años diagnosticamos 11 pacientes con CCM: 7 varones (63%) y 4 mujeres (36%), con una edad media de 77,6 años. El 45% de los pacientes presentaron un estadio IIIB (pTNM) al diagnóstico. Todos los pacientes menos uno, fueron subsidiarios de cirugía local, identificándose en 7 casos invasión linfovascular. Tras la cirugía, 5 pacientes recibieron radioterapia adyuvante y 3 quimioterapia adyuvante. El 54% fallecieron por el tumor (tiempo medio supervivencia: 14,5 meses). El CCM es una neoplasia maligna infrecuente cuya incidencia se sitúa en 0,18-0,41 casos/100.000 habitantes/año, similar a los 0,29-0,32 casos/100.000 habitantes/año registrados en nuestra serie. Recientemente ha sido aprobado avelumab para casos metastásicos con esperanzas prometedoras.