[MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY].

BACKGROUND

Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Though rare, in recent decades its prevalence has increased, and its incidence has tripled.

OBJECTIVES

To describe a cohort of MCC patients treated at a referral center in northern Israel, and to compare their characteristics and course of illness to cases reported in the literature.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 18 MCC patients treated in the Plastic Surgery Department at the Rambam Health Care Campus between the years 2011-2016. Patient demographics, medical history, histological findings, systemic involvement, adjuvant therapy, recurrence and survival rates parameters were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Study group patients were predominantly elderly, mostly men, and mainly Caucasian. A few were immunocompromised. Melanoma and MCC are known to be linked, and indeed, about a quarter of the patients suffered previously from melanoma. Diabetes, although not described as an MCC risk factor, has accounted for about 50% of cases, more than 5 times its prevalence in the general population. Tumor and metastases distribution were similar to the literature. Metastases were found in about 20% of cases at diagnosis. In one third of the patients, lymph nodes were already involved during surgery, with recurrence rates of 50%, and 40% mortality in five years.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results, for the first time, imply that there might be an association between diabetes and MCC. A link that could explain the rise of MCC incidence in recent decades. In addition, treatment guidelines were defined for metastatic disease which include the novel immunotherapy as a central component in treatment; hopefully, to improve patients' prognosis in this life-threatening disease.