Merkel cell carcinoma: A review and update on aetiopathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment approaches

Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift

Volumn 163, Issue 15-16, 2013, Pages 359-367

  Cardoso, José Carlos ^a   Teixeira, Vera ^a   Tchernev, Georgi ^b   Wollina, Uwe ^c  

^a CENTRO HOSPITALAR E UNIVERSITÁRIO DE COIMBRA   (Portugal)

^b UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ALEXANDROVSKA   (Bulgaria)

^c ACADEMIC TEACHING HOSPITAL DRESDEN FRIEDRICHSTADT   (Germany)

Author keywords

Chemotherapy; Merkel cell carcinoma; Merkel cell polyomavirus; Radiotherapy; Sentinel lymph node

Indexed keywords

CARBOPLATIN; CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE; DOXORUBICIN; ETOPOSIDE; VINCRISTINE;

ANTINEOPLASTIC ACTIVITY; CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY; CANCER DIAGNOSIS; CANCER INCIDENCE; CANCER PROGNOSIS; CANCER RADIOTHERAPY; CANCER STAGING; CANCER SURGERY; CANCER THERAPY; CLINICAL FEATURE; DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE; HISTOPATHOLOGY; HUMAN; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; LYMPH NODE DISSECTION; MERKEL CELL TUMOR; MOLECULARLY TARGETED THERAPY; PATHOGENESIS; REVIEW; WIDE EXCISION;

CARCINOMA, MERKEL CELL; HUMANS; NEOPLASM STAGING; SKIN NEOPLASMS;

EID: 84885158776     PISSN: 00435341     EISSN: 1563258X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10354-013-0218-0     Document Type: Review

References (62)

1. Toker C. Trabecular carcinoma of the skin. Arch Dermatol. 1972;105:107.
2. Muñoz IP, Masferrer JP, Vegas JO, Montalvo MSM, Dàaz RJ, Casa AMP. Merkel cell carcinoma from 2008 to 2012: reaching a new level of understanding. Cancer Treat Rev. 2013;39:421-9.
3. Feng H, Shuda M, Chang Y, Moore PS. Clonal integration of a polyomavirus in human Merkel cell carcinoma. Science. 2008;319:1096-100.
4. Nicolaidou E, Mikrova A, Antoniou C, Katsambas AD. Advances in Merkel cell carcinoma pathogenesis and management: a recently discovered virus, a new international consensus staging system and new diagnostic codes. Br J Dermatol. 2012;166:16-21.
5. Miller RW, Rabkin CS. Merkel cell carcinoma and melanoma: etiological similarities and differences. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1999;8:153-8.
6. Heath M, Jaimes N, Lemos B, et al. Clinical characteristics of Merkel cell carcinoma at diagnosis in 195 patients: the 'AEIOU' features. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58:375-81.
7. Calonje E, Brenn T, Lazar A, McKee PH. Tumours of the surface epithelium. In: Calonje E, Brenn T, Lazar A, McKee PH, Eds. McKee's Pathology of the Skin with Clinical Correlations. 4th Ed. Toronto: Elsevier; 2012. pp. 1076-149.
8. Engels EA, Frisch M, Goedert JJ, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma and HIV infection. Lancet. 2002;359:497-8.
9. Penn I, First MR. Merkel's cell carcinoma in organ recipients: report of 41 cases. Transplantation. 1999;68:1717-21.
10. Varga E, Kiss M, Szabo K, et al. Detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA in Merkel cell carcinomas. Br J Dermatol. 2009;161:930-2.
11. Becker JC, Houben R, Ugurel S, et al. MC polyomavirus is frequently present in Merkel cell carcinoma of European patients. J Invest Dermatol. 2009;129:248-50.
12. Touz A, Gaitan J, Maruani A, et al. Merkel cell polyomavirus strains in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Emerg Infect Dis. 2009;15:960-2.
13. Helmbold P, Lahtz C, Enk A, et al. Frequent occurrence of RASSF1 promoter hypermethylation and Merkel cell polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma. Mol Carcinog. 2009;48:903-9.
14. Duncavage EJ, Zehnbauer BA, Pfeifer JD. Prevalence of polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma. Mod Pathol. 2009;22:1-6.
15. Andres C, Belloni B, Puchta U, et al. Prevalence of MCPyV in Merkel cell carcinoma and non-MCC tumours. J Cutan Pathol. 2010;37:28-34.
16. Sastre-Garau X, Peter M, Avril MF, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin: pathological and molecular evidence for a causative role of MCV in oncogenesis. J Pathol. 2009;218:48-56.
17. Sihto H, Kukko H, Koljonen V, et al. Clinical factors associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus infection in Merkel cell carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009;101:938-45.
18. Busam KJ, Jungbluth AA, Rekthman N, et al. Merkel cell polyomavirus expression in Merkel cell carcinomas and its absence in combined tumours and pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas. Am J Surg Pathol. 2009;33:1378-85.
19. Paik JY, Hall G, Clarkson A, et al. Immunohistochemistry for Merkel cell polyomavirus is highly specific but not sensitive for the diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma in the Australian population. Hum Pathol. 2011;42:1385-90.
20. Kuwamoto S, Higaki H, Kanai K, et al. Association of Merkel cell polyomavirus infection with morphologic differences in Merkel cell carcinoma. Hum Pathol. 2011;42:632-40.
21. Martin B, Poblet E, Rios JJ, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma with divergent differentiation: histopathological and immunohistochemical study with PCR analysis for Merkel cell polyomavirus. Histopathol. 2013;62:711-22.
22. Schrama D, Peitsch WK, Zapatka M, et al. Merkel cell polyomavirus status is not associated with clinical course of Merkel cell carcinoma. J Invest Dermatol. 2011;131:1631-8.
23. Handschel J, Muller D, Depprich RA, et al. The new polyomavirus (MCPyV) does not affect the clinical course in Mccs. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010;39:1086-90.
24. Hodgson NC. Merkel cell carcinoma: changing incidence trends. J Surg Oncol. 2005;89:1-4.
25. Agelli M, Clegg LX. Epidemiology of primary Merkel cell carcinoma in the United States. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003;49:832-41.
26. Yom SS, Rosenthal DI, Adel K, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma of the tongue and head and neck oral mucosal sites. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2006;101:761-8.
27. Coleman NM, Smith-Zagone MJ, Tanyi J, et al. Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the vagina with Merkel cell carcinoma phenotype. Am J Surg Pathol. 2006;30:405-10.
28. Goessling W, McKee PH, Mayer RJ. Merkel cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2002;20:588-98.
29. Saeb-lima M, Montante-Montes de Oca D, Albores-Saavedra J. Merkel cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation: a clinicopathologic study of 7 cases. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2008;12:410-4.
30. Iacocca MV, Abernethy JL, Stefanato CM, et al. Mixed Merkel cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998;39:582-7.
31. Fernandez-Figueras MT, Puig L, Gilaberte M, et al. Merkel cell (primary neuroendocrine) carcinoma of the skin with nodal metastasis showing rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation. J Cutan Pathol. 2002;29:619-22.
32. Adhikari LA, McCalmont TH, Folpe AL. Heterologous rhabdomyoblastic differentiation: the role of immunohistochemistry for Merkel cell polyomavirus large T-antigen in confirmation. J Cutan Pathol. 2012;39:47-51.
33. Boutilier R, Desormeau L, Cragg F, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma. Squamous and atypical fibroxanthoma-like differentiation in successive local tumour recurrences. Am J Dermatopathol. 2001;23:46-9.
34. Covello R, Licci S, Ferrari A, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma of the thumb with squamous and leiomyosarcomatous differentiation. Eur J Dermatol. 2010;20:529-30.
35. Vanchinathan V, Marinelli EC, Kartha RV, et al. A malignant cutaneous neuroendocrine tumour with features of Merkel cell carcinoma and differentiating neuroblastoma. Am J Dermatopathol. 2009;31:193-6.
36. Lemos BD, Storer BE, Iyer JG, et al. Pathologic nodal evaluation improves prognostic accuracy in Merkel cell carcinoma: analysis of 5,823 cases as the basis of the first consensus staging system. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;63:751-61.
37. Andea AA, Coit DG, Amin B, Busam KJ. Merkel cell carcinoma: histologic features and prognosis. Cancer. 2008;113:2549-58.
38. Bobos M, Hytiroglou P, Kostopoulos I, et al. Immunohistochemical distinction between Merkel cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma of the lung. Am J Dermatopathol. 2006;28:99-104.
39. Lemos BD, Storer BE, Iyer JG, et al. Pathologic nodal evaluation improves prognostic accuracy in Merkel cell carcinoma: analysis of 5,823 cases as the basis of the first consensus staging system. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;63:751-61.
40. Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, Fritz AG, Greene FL, Trotti A. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th Ed. New York: Springer; 2010. pp. 299-344.
41. McCardle TW, Sondak VK, Zager J, Messina JL. Merkel cell carcinoma: pathologic findings and prognostic factors. Curr Probl Cancer. 2010;34:47-64.
42. Su LD, Lowe L, Bradford CR, et al. Immunostaining for cytokeratin 20 improves detection of micrometastatic Merkel cell carcinoma in sentinel lymph nodes. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;46:661-6.
43. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Merkel Cell Carcinoma. v.1. Fort Washington, PA: NCCN, 2010.
44. Concannon R, Larcos GS, Veness M. The impact of (18) F-FDG PET-CT scanning for staging and management of Merkel cell carcinoma: results from Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;62:76-84.
45. Anderson S, Beer K, Banic A, et al. MRI of Merkel cell carcinoma: histologic correlation and review of the literature. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005;185:1441-8.
46. Trantola TI, Vallow LA, Halyard MY, et al. Unknown primary Merkel cell carcinoma: 23 new cases and a review. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013;68:433-40.
47. Medina-Franco H, Urist MM, Fiveash J, et al. Multi-modality treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma: case series and literature review of 1,024 cases. Ann Surg Oncol. 2001;8:204-8.
48. MJ O, Tanabe KK, Gadd MA, et al. Multi-modality management of Merkel cell carcinoma. Arch Surg. 1999;134:388-92.
49. Poulsen M. Merkel cell carcinoma of skin: diagnosis and management strategies. Drugs Aging. 2005;22:219-29.
50. Kokoska ER, Kokoska MS, Collins BT, Stapleton DR, Wade TP. Early aggressive treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma improves outcome. Am J Surg. 1997;174:688-93.
51. Haag ML, Glass LF, Fenske NA. Merkel cell carcinoma. Diagnosis and treatment. Dermatol Surg. 1995;21:669-83.
52. Balkissoon J, Rasgon BM, Schweitzer L. Lymphatic mapping for staging of head and neck cancer. Semin Oncol. 2004;31:382-93.
53. Schmalbach CE, Lowe L, Teknos TN, et al. Reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy for regional staging of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2005;131:610-4.
54. Lewis KG, Weinstock MA, Weaver AL, Otloey CC. Adjuvant local irradiation for Merkel cell carcinoma. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:693-700.
55. Jabbour J, Cumming R, Scolyer RA, et al. Merkel cell carcinoma: assessing the effect of wide local excision, lymph node dissection, and radiotherapy on recurrence and survival in early-stage disease - results from a review of 82 consecutive cases diagnosed between 1992 and 2004. Ann Surg Oncol. 2007;14:1943-52.
56. Mojica P, Smith D, Ellenhorn JDI. Adjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:1043-7.
57. Guler-Nizam E, Leiter U, Metzier G, et al. Clinical course and prognostic factors of Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin. Br J Dermatol. 2009;161:90-4.
58. Veness MJ, Morgan GJ, Gebski V. Adjuvant locoregional radiotherapy as best practice in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Head Neck. 2005;27:208-16.
59. Garneski KM, Nghiem P. Merkel cell carcinoma adjuvant therapy: current data support radiation but not chemotherapy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;57:166-9.
60. Voog E, Biron P, Martin JP, Blay JY. Chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Cancer. 1999;85:2589-95.
61. Tai PT, Yu E, Winquist E, et al. Chemotherapy in neuroendocrine/Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin: case series and review of 204 cases. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18:2493-9.
62. Poulsen MG, Rischin D, Porter I, et al. Does chemotherapy improve survival in high-risk stage I and II Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006;64:114-9.