title: Merkel cell carcinoma: current status of targeted and future potential for immunotherapies.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor with a high incidence of local recurrence, regional nodal and distant metastasis, and a high mortality rate. It has been linked to a polyomavirus in addition to immune suppression. Traditionally, treatment options have been limited to surgery and radiation therapy. Better understanding of the molecular pathways of infection and carcinogenesis has provided potential molecular targets and potential immunotherapies which are discussed in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California in San Francisco CA USA. Email: bishr.aldabagh@ucsf.medctr.org.
authors.forename: Bishr
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aldabagh
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Siegrid S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D053672:Electrochemotherapy; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007191:Indazoles; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077022:Survivin; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D001549:Benzamides; D015415:Biomarkers; D019002:CD56 Antigen; C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D007191:Indazoles; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C522918:NCAM1 protein, human; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D010879:Piperazines; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D011743:Pyrimidines; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077022:Survivin; D013873:Thionucleotides; D018664:Interleukin-12; D013004:Somatostatin; C516667:pazopanib; C408162:oblimersen; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007372:Interferons; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases