Immunotherapy Should Be First Line in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

A study with the longest follow-up of immunotherapy as the first line treatment for patients with advanced MCC has showed improved overall survival and response rate compared to controls. The study included 50 treatment naïve adults with advanced MCC who received a median of 10.5 doses of pembrolizumab, with a median treatment duration of 6.6 months. The 24-month overall survival rate was 68.7%. With MCC on the rise, this study along with several others point towards immunotherapy as being an appropriate first line of treatment for advanced MCC.