title: Radiotherapy alone for Merkel cell carcinoma: a comparative and retrospective study of 25 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare skin cancer. Cumulative data from retrospective series support the notion that benefits are obtained by both wide excision and adjuvant radiation therapy. However, surgery may be difficult to perform with tumors located in the head and neck region and/or in elderly patients with comorbidities incompatible with general anesthesia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the benefit of treating MCC exclusively with radiation when conventional treatment (surgery followed by radiotherapy) is not possible.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 patients with primary MCC were treated at our institution exclusively with radiotherapy. Because there is no consensus about this specific approach, we compared the recurrence rate of the 25 patients receiving radiotherapy alone with that of 25 patients who received conventional treatment at our institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up periods were 3 years (range: 5 months-11 years) for the group receiving only radiotherapy (group 1) and 9 years (range: 12 months-16 years) for the conventional therapy group (group 2). No local relapses were observed, but two locoregional relapses were observed in group 1, and 4 in group 2. No statistical differences were found in overall and disease-free survival between the two groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The limitation of this study is its retrospective nature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the results of our previous research demonstrating that it is possible to treat inoperable MCC exclusively with radiotherapy to obtain an outcome similar to that which is achievable with conventional treatment.
authors.affiliation: Clinique de Dermatologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Lille 2, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Emeline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rezvoy
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Penel
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salleron
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martinot
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guerreschi
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dziwniel
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darras
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mirabel
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mortier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome