title: Merkel cell carcinoma: Overall survival after open biopsy versus wide local excision.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of the skin with a dismal prognosis.
  
  
  
  We conducted a retrospective medical chart review of patients with MCC who were initially diagnosed with an open biopsy (n = 30) or wide local excision (n = 24).
  
  
  
  Stages I, II, and III disease was found in 38%, 20%, and 16%, respectively. The 2-year and 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 64.8% and 38.8% versus 45.2% and 26.4%, respectively. Cox regression multivariate model, including tissue sampling technique, re-resection, therapy modalities, pathological staging, and T and N classifications, showed that patients diagnosed initially with an open biopsy have significant worse overall (p = .014) and disease-free (p = .005) survival rates compared with patients who had a wide local excision.
  
  
  
  This study showed an improved overall survival in patients with MCC after wide local excision compared to open biopsy of the primary site at first diagnosis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1014-E1018, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haymerle
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fochtmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kunstfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pammer
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Boban M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Erovic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000072662:Margins of Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma; open biopsy; overall survival; retrospective; wide local excision