title: Potential Activity of Amrubicin as a Salvage Therapy for Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin with an aggressive clinical course. Although anthracycline- and platinum-based regimens are empirically used as first-line treatments for metastatic or unresectable cases, no salvage therapy has been established. A 73-year-old man with platinum-refractory recurrent MCC was treated with amrubicin. The symptoms improved soon, and a partial response was achieved. A total of nine cycles of amrubicin were administered in nine months with manageable adverse events until disease progression was finally observed. The present findings suggest the potential of amrubicin monotherapy as a second-line therapy for patients with advanced/recurrent MCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan.
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sakaida
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebata
authors.forename: Shunichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasawa
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yonemori
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C055866:amrubicin