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Published on: February 24, 2023
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: An Immunotherapy Fairy-Tale?
Enrica Teresa Tanda1,2, Agostina Lagodin d'Amato2,3, Giovanni Rossi4,5
1Genetics of Rare Cancers, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Abstract:
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive, neuroendocrine cutaneous tumor. The incidence of MCC is growing worldwide, and the disease-related mortality is about three-fold higher than melanoma. Since a few years ago, very little has been known about this disease, and chemotherapy has been the standard of care. Nowadays, new discoveries about the pathophysiology of this neoplasm and the introduction of immunotherapy allowed to completely rewrite the history of these patients. In this review, we provide a summary of the most important changes in the management of Merkel cell carcinoma, with a focus on immunotherapy and a landscape of future treatment strategies.
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