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Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma

MedGen UID:
1735056
•Concept ID:
C5420282
•
Neoplastic Process
Synonyms: Head and Neck Lymph Nodes Merkel Cell Carcinoma; Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary

Definition

An extremely rare Merkel cell carcinoma affecting the head and neck lymph nodes. It may represent metastasis from a regressed dermal primary. (WHO 2017) [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVHead and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Best practices in surgical and nonsurgical management of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: An update.
Duarte-Bateman D, Shen A, Bullock T, Sadeghi P, Escandón JM, Dedkova E, Gastman BR
Mol Carcinog 2023 Jan;62(1):101-112. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1002/mc.23483. PMID: 36367533Free PMC Article
The role of adjuvant therapy in the management of head and neck merkel cell carcinoma: an analysis of 4815 patients.
Chen MM, Roman SA, Sosa JA, Judson BL
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2015 Feb;141(2):137-41. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.3052. PMID: 25474617
Management of early stage cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Blythe JN, Macpherson D, Reuther WJ, Ethunandan M, Ilankovan V, Sharma S, Anand RA, Mellor TK, Kerawala C, Brennan PA
Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2014 Nov;52(9):806-9. Epub 2014 Aug 27 doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2014.06.009. PMID: 25174318

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Therapeutic Benefit of Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Nodal Disease.
Harley RJ, Lyden M, Aribindi S, Socolovsky L, Harley EH Jr
Laryngoscope 2024 Aug;134(8):3587-3594. Epub 2024 Feb 24 doi: 10.1002/lary.31333. PMID: 38401116
Best practices in surgical and nonsurgical management of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: An update.
Duarte-Bateman D, Shen A, Bullock T, Sadeghi P, Escandón JM, Dedkova E, Gastman BR
Mol Carcinog 2023 Jan;62(1):101-112. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1002/mc.23483. PMID: 36367533Free PMC Article
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A 28-Year Experience.
Kwan K, Ghazizadeh S, Moon AS, Rünger D, Sajed D, Elashoff D, St John M
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 Aug;163(2):364-371. Epub 2020 Mar 31 doi: 10.1177/0194599820913622. PMID: 32228136
Clinicopathological characteristics of head and neck Merkel cell carcinomas.
Knopf A, Bas M, Hofauer B, Mansour N, Stark T
Head Neck 2017 Jan;39(1):92-97. Epub 2016 Jul 22 doi: 10.1002/hed.24540. PMID: 27447124
Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: poorer prognosis than non-head and neck sites.
Morand GB, Madana J, Da Silva SD, Hier MP, Mlynarek AM, Black MJ
J Laryngol Otol 2016 Apr;130(4):393-7. Epub 2016 Feb 15 doi: 10.1017/S0022215116000153. PMID: 26875509

Diagnosis

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A 28-Year Experience.
Kwan K, Ghazizadeh S, Moon AS, Rünger D, Sajed D, Elashoff D, St John M
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 Aug;163(2):364-371. Epub 2020 Mar 31 doi: 10.1177/0194599820913622. PMID: 32228136
Head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: a retrospective case series and critical literature review with emphasis on treatment and prognosis.
Papadiochos I, Patrikidou A, Patsatsi A, Mangoudi D, Thuau H, Vahtsevanos K
Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2018 Feb;125(2):126-139. Epub 2017 Dec 2 doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2017.09.019. PMID: 29203339
Single-centre experience of primary cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck between 1996 and 2014.
Patel M, Newlands C, Whitaker S
Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2016 Sep;54(7):741-5. Epub 2016 May 5 doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2016.04.014. PMID: 27156234
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: a preliminary study.
Ricard AS, Sessiecq Q, Siberchicot F, Jouary T, Laurentjoye M
Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2015 Apr;132(2):77-80. Epub 2015 Feb 9 doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2015.01.005. PMID: 25677557
Tumor location is an independent prognostic factor in head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma.
Smith VA, MaDan OP, Lentsch EJ
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2012 Mar;146(3):403-8. Epub 2011 Dec 13 doi: 10.1177/0194599811431789. PMID: 22166964

Therapy

Best practices in surgical and nonsurgical management of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: An update.
Duarte-Bateman D, Shen A, Bullock T, Sadeghi P, Escandón JM, Dedkova E, Gastman BR
Mol Carcinog 2023 Jan;62(1):101-112. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1002/mc.23483. PMID: 36367533Free PMC Article
Definitive radiotherapy for a head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma and comprehensive nodal volumes: a case for using a computer-designed variable-thickness compensator to reduce risk and severity of mucositis.
Ahamad A, Weed DT, Pruett DD, Saulpaugh D, Neeranjun W, Fernandez E
Med Dosim 2018 Spring;43(1):69-73. Epub 2017 Oct 12 doi: 10.1016/j.meddos.2017.08.006. PMID: 29031904
Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: effect of surgical excision and radiation on recurrence and survival.
Gillenwater AM, Hessel AC, Morrison WH, Burgess M, Silva EG, Roberts D, Goepfert H
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001 Feb;127(2):149-54. doi: 10.1001/archotol.127.2.149. PMID: 11177031

Prognosis

Best practices in surgical and nonsurgical management of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: An update.
Duarte-Bateman D, Shen A, Bullock T, Sadeghi P, Escandón JM, Dedkova E, Gastman BR
Mol Carcinog 2023 Jan;62(1):101-112. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1002/mc.23483. PMID: 36367533Free PMC Article
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A 28-Year Experience.
Kwan K, Ghazizadeh S, Moon AS, Rünger D, Sajed D, Elashoff D, St John M
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 Aug;163(2):364-371. Epub 2020 Mar 31 doi: 10.1177/0194599820913622. PMID: 32228136
Head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: a retrospective case series and critical literature review with emphasis on treatment and prognosis.
Papadiochos I, Patrikidou A, Patsatsi A, Mangoudi D, Thuau H, Vahtsevanos K
Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2018 Feb;125(2):126-139. Epub 2017 Dec 2 doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2017.09.019. PMID: 29203339
Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: poorer prognosis than non-head and neck sites.
Morand GB, Madana J, Da Silva SD, Hier MP, Mlynarek AM, Black MJ
J Laryngol Otol 2016 Apr;130(4):393-7. Epub 2016 Feb 15 doi: 10.1017/S0022215116000153. PMID: 26875509
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: a preliminary study.
Ricard AS, Sessiecq Q, Siberchicot F, Jouary T, Laurentjoye M
Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2015 Apr;132(2):77-80. Epub 2015 Feb 9 doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2015.01.005. PMID: 25677557

Clinical prediction guides

Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Therapeutic Benefit of Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Nodal Disease.
Harley RJ, Lyden M, Aribindi S, Socolovsky L, Harley EH Jr
Laryngoscope 2024 Aug;134(8):3587-3594. Epub 2024 Feb 24 doi: 10.1002/lary.31333. PMID: 38401116
Best practices in surgical and nonsurgical management of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: An update.
Duarte-Bateman D, Shen A, Bullock T, Sadeghi P, Escandón JM, Dedkova E, Gastman BR
Mol Carcinog 2023 Jan;62(1):101-112. Epub 2022 Nov 11 doi: 10.1002/mc.23483. PMID: 36367533Free PMC Article
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A 28-Year Experience.
Kwan K, Ghazizadeh S, Moon AS, Rünger D, Sajed D, Elashoff D, St John M
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 Aug;163(2):364-371. Epub 2020 Mar 31 doi: 10.1177/0194599820913622. PMID: 32228136
Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: poorer prognosis than non-head and neck sites.
Morand GB, Madana J, Da Silva SD, Hier MP, Mlynarek AM, Black MJ
J Laryngol Otol 2016 Apr;130(4):393-7. Epub 2016 Feb 15 doi: 10.1017/S0022215116000153. PMID: 26875509
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma: a preliminary study.
Ricard AS, Sessiecq Q, Siberchicot F, Jouary T, Laurentjoye M
Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2015 Apr;132(2):77-80. Epub 2015 Feb 9 doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2015.01.005. PMID: 25677557

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