title: Merkel cell carcinoma: update and review.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, and often fatal cutaneous malignancy that is not usually suspected at the time of biopsy. Because of its increasing incidence and the discovery of a possible viral association, interest in MCC has escalated. Recent effort has broadened our breadth of knowledge regarding MCC and developed instruments to improve data collection and future study. This article provides an update on current thinking about the Merkel cell and MCC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cutaneous Surgery and Oncology, Department of Dermatology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. twang49@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Lisa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Janis M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Taube
mesh_terms: D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011120:Polyomavirus; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology