title: Chemotherapy for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Review of the M.D. Anderson Hospital's experience.
abstract: Thirteen patients with regional or distant metastases from Merkel cell carcinoma were treated with combination chemotherapy. Three patients had a complete response to therapy. In two patients with nodal disease the duration of response was 10+ and 4+ years. In addition, three patients had a partial response, and six patients had minor responses. Chemotherapy using a combination of drugs that are active against small cell carcinoma of the lung is recommended in the treatment of unresectable disease in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma; it may produce prolonged responses. While tumor regressions as a result of chemotherapy were often dramatic, once the disease progressed, the course of the disease often moved rapidly downhill and proved to be fatal.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicine, M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Feun
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Savaraj
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Legha
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Burgess
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality