Impact of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes on Overall Survival in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. As the clinical course can be variable, prognostic markers are needed to better stratify patients. Prior literature, composed of small series with limited sample size, has demonstrated that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an important prognostic marker in MCC. To validate these findings on a population level, we sought to analyze and report the prognostic value of TILs in a large national data set.

A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted of patients with nonmetastatic MCC from 2010 to 2015 using the National Cancer Database. Individual variables trending toward significance using a univariable analysis were included in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model to assess their independent effect on overall survival (OS). TILs were subclassified into none, nonbrisk, and brisk and the survival analysis was performed. Propensity score-weighted multivariable analysis (PS MVA) was performed to adjust for additional confounding.

A total of 2,182 patients met inclusion criteria: 611 (28.0%) were identified as having TILs present, and 1,571 (72.0%) had TILs absent in the tumor. On MVA, subdivision of TIL status into nonbrisk (hazard ratio [HR], 0.750; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.602-0.933) and brisk (HR, 0.499; 95% CI, 0.338-0.735) was associated with incrementally improved OS compared with no TILs. The association of nonbrisk and brisk TILs with improved OS was retained on PS MVA (Nonbrisk: HR, 0.720; 95% CI, 0.550-0.944; Brisk: HR, 0.483; 95% CI, 0.286-0.814).

The presence of nonbrisk and brisk TILs is associated with incrementally improved OS in patients with nonmetastatic MCC in a large national data set. This pathologic feature can aid with risk stratification, estimation of prognosis, and, importantly, decision-making with respect to treatment intensification in high-risk patients.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy with variable clinical course. Prognostic markers are needed to better risk stratify patients. We present the largest retrospective observational cohort study of patients with nonmetastatic MCC using the National Cancer Database. Our analysis demonstrates an association between increasing degrees of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and incrementally improved survival. These conclusions improve pathologic risk stratification, and decision-making with respect to treatment intensification. Intensification may include adjuvant radiation therapy to the primary site after wide excision despite small tumor size, to the nodal basin in sentinel lymph node-negative patients, or offering closer follow-up.