title: Update on the biology and clinical management of Merkel cell carcinoma.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy, with a predilection for sun-exposed sites in elderly patients. Despite an incidence 30 times less than that of melanoma, its disease-specific mortality is three times higher. Management of MCC remains challenging because of a limited understanding of its molecular biology, lack of prospective clinical trials, and limitations associated with retrospective reviews of therapeutic options. With the recent discovery of an associated human polyomavirus, significant progress has been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of this malignancy. With this progress, there has been increasing optimism regarding new tools in the therapeutic armamentarium to fight this deadly disease. Here we present an overview on MCC with an emphasis on the most recent biologic discoveries and the rationale for novel targeted and immunotherapies.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thakuria
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: LeBoeuf
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rabinowits
mesh_terms: D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications