News & Publications

We will hold the 2021 Multicenter Merkel Interest Group (MMIG) meeting on Friday, June 4th, 11 am-1 pm EDT / 8 am-10 am PDT via Zoom. Please email [email protected] for an invitation with the zoom details. If you have an interesting topic to present, please let us know as we have a few avai...

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) management typically includes surgery with or without adjuvant radiation therapy (aRT). Major challenges include determining surgical margin size and whether aRT is indicated. Objective: To assess the association of aRT, surgical margin size, and MCC local rec...

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer, which is about twice as likely to metastasize as compared with melanoma.1 There are 2 distinct biological pathways for developing MCC: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-induced and ultraviolet light-induced.2 In individuals immunosuppressed by...

For patients who receive immune therapy for advanced melanoma, one year of therapy seems to be enough in most cases to provide ongoing disease control. We are in the process of studying our MCC patients to gather similar information. Early data seem to indicate that MCC patients tend to benefit from...

This large study finds that being on an immune stimulating therapy for cancer does not seem to worsen severity of COVID. On the other hand, COVID is a more dangerous disease in cancer patients. Bottom line: We should treat our patients properly for their cancer (including giving them immune therapy ...

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy with poor prognosis. In Europe, approved systemic therapies are limited to the PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab. For avelumab-refractory patients, efficient and safe treatment options are lacking. Methods: A...

Another study (this one from Spain) documenting the striking utility of PET/CT scanning in MCC, particularly at baseline, when we strongly advocate for this technology. Staging and management were altered in a large proportion of patients.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer that occurs in elderly patients. The risk of MCC is increased by immunosuppression due to conditions such as human immunodeficiency virus infection, hematological malignancies, and organ transplantation. These risk factors can also be ...

When you get your chance to receive the COVID vaccine, unless there is a specific contraindication, you should do it!  Many patients have been asking this very reasonable question. Our team has in every case said to get vaccinated, whether or not the patient is on therapy to alter their immune resp...