MCC made it into the NY Times in the form of this fascinating medical mystery story. A ‘paraneoplastic syndrome’ is when a tumor causes a process to happen in the body indirectly, such as via an immune response to the tumor that attacks another part of the body (as happened here) or because the tumor releases a hormone that could affect a body system such as salt regulation. We previously estimated that paraneoplastic syndromes happen in around 5% of MCC cases, but even less commonly cause major problems such as in this man’s story.
The authoritative source on Merkel cell carcinoma.
Last updated:
November 27, 2024
About the Disease
- What is a Merkel cell?
- What is Merkel cell carcinoma?
- Symptoms & appearance of Merkel cell carcinoma
- Causes of Merkel cell carcinoma
Testing & Diagnosis
Created in partnership with:
Seattle Multidisciplinary MCC Team, University of Washington MCC Research, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.