Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025
![Dynamic Imaging of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells with [18F]Tetrafluoroborate Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F62334.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
09:34
Dynamic Imaging of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells with [18F]Tetrafluoroborate Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography
Published on: February 17, 2022
3.5K
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Current Treatment Landscape and Emerging Therapeutic Targets
Kelly Pan1, A Maria Vromans1, Liang Cheng2
1Department of Internal Medicine, Brown University Health, Providence, RI, USA.
Current Oncology Reports
|June 3, 2025
Summary
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive skin cancer, is often diagnosed late. Current treatments include surgery for local disease and immunotherapy for advanced stages, with new therapies in development.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer.
- It is primarily caused by Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and UV radiation.
- Delayed diagnosis due to subtle presentation leads to advanced-stage detection and poor prognoses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review diagnostic workup for MCC.
- To examine prognostic markers in MCC.
- To discuss current and emerging MCC treatments.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of diagnostic approaches.
- Analysis of prognostic indicators.
- Synthesis of current therapeutic modalities.
- Evaluation of ongoing clinical trials for novel therapies.
Main Results:
- Surgical resection with adjuvant radiation is standard for local MCC.
- PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are the standard of care for advanced or unresectable MCC.
- Numerous clinical trials are investigating novel immunotherapies, targeted treatments, and vaccines for advanced or recurrent MCC.
Conclusions:
- MCC is an aggressive malignancy with a rapidly evolving treatment landscape.
- Emerging therapies show promise for improving outcomes in advanced MCC.
- Continued research is crucial for enhancing patient prognosis.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
7.8K
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
02:38Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
7.0K
Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
7.0K
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
675
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
675
01:30Cancer Vaccines
522
Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
522
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
5.1K
Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.1K
02:15M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis
5.7K
Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
5.7K