title: Incidence of Merkel cell carcinoma in Olmsted County, Minnesota: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, often cutaneous malignancy. The incidence has been estimated from national registries in the USA and elsewhere, and data indicate variations depending on the region studied. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of MCC in Olmsted County (MN, USA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which contains health records for all the residents of Olmsted County, we retrospectively reviewed the records for all cases of MCC from 1976 to 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall annual age- and sex-adjusted incidence of MCC in Olmsted County during 1976-2011 was 0.35 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI, 0.14-0.57). The incidence tended to be higher among men than women with 0.69 per 100,000 (95% CI, 0.24-1.14) and 0.10 per 100,000 (95% CI, 0-0.24), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data are within the range of previous MCC incidence reports, and the incidence of MCC in Olmsted County is consistent with rates reported in the remainder of the USA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Jerry D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Brewer
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology