Merkel cell cancer medical therapy
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Merkel cell cancer Microchapters |
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Merkel cell cancer medical therapy On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmad Al Maradni, M.D. [2]
Overview
The predominant therapy for Merkel cell cancer is surgical resection. Adjunctive chemoradiation may also be required in more advanced disease.
Medical Therapy
- Merkel cell cancer that has metastasized may respond, at least partially, to treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation.
Chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy usually does not cure the disease, but it can be effective in shrinking the tumor size if the tumor is either too large to be resectable or is located within in critical or difficult regions.
Radiation
- Radiation is an alternative treatment and used can be alone in patients with merkel cell cancer who are not suitable for surgery.[1]
- Radiotherapy has a curative rate of 75 to 85 percent.[2]
- Systemic relapse after radiotherapy is one f the cause of death in patients with merkel cell cancer.[3]
- Adjuvant radiotherapy is effective in reducing the rate of recurrence and increasing the 5-year survival of patients with merkel cell cancer.
- Preferred dosage: 60 to 66 Gy
References
- ↑ Pape E, Rezvoy N, Penel N, Salleron J, Martinot V, Guerreschi P, Dziwniel V, Darras S, Mirabel X, Mortier L (November 2011). "Radiotherapy alone for Merkel cell carcinoma: a comparative and retrospective study of 25 patients". J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 65 (5): 983–90. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.07.043. PMID 21641081.
- ↑ Harrington C, Kwan W (October 2014). "Outcomes of Merkel cell carcinoma treated with radiotherapy without radical surgical excision". Ann. Surg. Oncol. 21 (11): 3401–5. doi:10.1245/s10434-014-3757-8. PMID 25001091.
- ↑ Veness M, Foote M, Gebski V, Poulsen M (November 2010). "The role of radiotherapy alone in patients with merkel cell carcinoma: reporting the Australian experience of 43 patients". Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 78 (3): 703–9. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.08.011. PMID 19939581.