How To Stage Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Staging is a way to understand how much the cancer has grown and how far it has spread. It usually develops as a single painless bump on sun-exposed skin.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma Euromelanoma

The stage of the cancer can predict the chances of having a recurrence of MCC.

How to stage merkel cell carcinoma. In some cases surgery alone may suffice but radiation may also be recommended for initial treatment. If metastasis is present then radiotherapy immunotherapy and chemotherapy are required for complete recovery and it will take several months to achieve this status. Factors associated with developing MCC include increasing age fair skin a history of extensive sun exposure chronic immune suppression and the Merkel cell.

It may spread quickly to surrounding tissues nearby lymph nodes or more distant parts of the body. Merkel cells found in the top layer of the skin are very close to the nerve endings that receive the sensation of touch. Staging usually involves a body scan and often a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

A higher number like stage IV means cancer has spread more. The cancer has spread beyond the tumor into the nearby skin but not to the nearby lymph nodes or elsewhere. At the time of diagnosis your medical team will stage your cancer.

The stage is based on many factors including the size of the tumor the results of a sentinel lymph node biopsy and scans etc. Metastatic disease beyond the local nodes. MerkelCell 4001 Protocol Posting Date.

About Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular cancer Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare type of skin cancer that forms when Merkel cells grow out of control. Excision with 1 cm to 2 cm margins and radiation therapy are the mainstays of management for primary MCC tumors.

June 2017 Includes pTNM requirements from the 8th Edition AJCC Staging Manual. Patients with Merkel cell carcinoma are usually first treated with surgery. It is best to seek at least one consultation from a multi-disciplinary team of physicians with significant MCC experience.

Stage I and II Merkel cell carcinoma MCC include patients with local disease only. Stage 1A These cancers are smaller than two centimeters and a tissue test has confirmed that there is no cancer. The cancer is only in the epidermis and hasnt spread to the lymph nodes.

If youve been treated for a previous MCC pay close attention to the site and the surrounding region. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Please see the Staging page to learn more.

Be watchful for any new or changing lesions on your skin and look out for these warning signs. Under the Merkel cell carcinoma staging system cancers are classified as either. In stage 2 the cancer has grown deeper than in stage 1.

The life expectancy of a patient with Merkel cell carcinoma is dependent on the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Stage 0 carcinoma in situ In stage 0 abnormal Merkel cells are found in the top layer of skin. If Merkel cell carcinoma is in an advanced stage before surgery adjuvant radiotherapychemotherapy is needed to shrink the tumor.

Tumor T ype Description. For accreditation purposes this protocol should be used for the following procedures AND tumor types. And within a stage an earlier letter means a lower stage.

The earliest stage Merkel cell cancers are called stage 0 or carcinoma in situ and then range from stages I 1 through IV 4. In stage I the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller. The process also helps doctors determine how to best treat MCC and the risk of it coming back.

Merkel cell carcinoma MCC is rare and dangerous but treatable especially when found at an early stage. A localized disease with primary lesion 2 cm. Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the Skin.

Stage 1 or Stage 2. Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin is a rare form of skin cancer. The cancer has not spread beyond the tumor.

Contact your medical team immediately if you see any suspicious changes. Stage 0 in situ primary tumor These cancers have not spread beyond the original location. Surgery Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma.

Stage II Merkel cell carcinoma is divided into stages IIA and IIB. Patients with more advanced disease may receive adjuvant additional treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy following or instead of surgery. The bump may be skin-colored or red-violet and tends to grow rapidly over weeks to months.

Merkel cell carcinoma MCC is a rare aggressive skin cancer. After testing is finished your medical team will try to pinpoint how far the Merkel cell carcinoma MCC has progressed. Image supplied by Bob Rossborough.

Proper cancer staging is the first step in identifying an appropriate treatment plan. It has also been called Toker tumour cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma trabecular cell carcinoma and primary small-cell carcinoma of the skin. As a rule the lower the number the less the cancer has spread.

It may be very aggressive and often metastasises to other parts of the body. There are five main stages in MCC stages 0 to 4. Your doctor may say you have in situ Merkel cell carcinoma.

This process is known as staging.

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