Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026
A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
Published on: May 18, 2018
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Population Analysis on Survival
Vishwajith Sridharan1, Vinayak Muralidhar1, Danielle N Margalit2
1From Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School; Department of Radiation Oncology, and Department of Medical Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Merkel Cell Carcinoma Clinic, Department of Dermatology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts. From Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School; Department of Radiation Oncology, and Department of Medical Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Merkel Cell Carcinoma Clinic, Department of Dermatology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) presentation and outcomes are influenced by patient factors and tumor characteristics. The number of involved lymph nodes is the strongest predictor of survival, highlighting the importance of nodal staging in this aggressive skin cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer with uncertain prognostic factors.
- Recent changes in diagnostic workup, including sentinel lymph node biopsy, necessitate updated understanding of disease presentation and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine factors influencing stage at presentation and treatment for MCC.
- To identify predictors of disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) in MCC patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the SEER database to analyze 4,543 MCC patients.
- Evaluated associations between patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment.
- Conducted univariate and multivariate analyses, including subgroup analysis of a 2006-2012 cohort.
Main Results:
- Male sex, older age, larger tumor size, and scalp/neck/trunk primary sites correlated with higher nodal burden.
- Age >75, lymph node involvement, tumor size >5 cm, metastatic disease, and lack of radiation predicted worse survival.
- Number of involved lymph nodes was the strongest predictor of DSS/OS.
Conclusions:
- Patient and tumor factors correlate with nodal disease burden in MCC.
- Treatment strategies and disease presentation associations remain consistent in the modern era (2006-2012).
- Nodal status is a critical prognostic indicator for Merkel cell carcinoma.
