Advances in Immunology: A Cornerstone in Diagnosis and Therapy of Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
Wyatt LydolphSai Prasad DesikanShiyu WangJohn AllgoodCharles McClainsJennifer MclaughlinRaman DesikanPublished in: Journal of investigative medicine high impact case reports (2022)
Merkel cell cancer (MCC) is a rare cutaneous malignancy arising from neuroendocrine cells. This rare but lethal malignancy (mortality greater than 30%) has also tripled in incidence over the last two decades. The role of immunodeficiency in pathogenesis of this rare malignancy is well established, with elucidation of viral pathogenesis by Merkel cell polyoma virus (MCPyV), a novel polyoma virus, in a majority of patients. Viral neoantigens while playing an important role in oncogenesis can also aid in early immunologic detection of recurrent disease. Viral neoantigens can also be targets for immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have established role in frontline therapy in addition to recurrence of metastatic MCC. ICI therapy is being explored in adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings as well. We would like to illustrate curative potential of early diagnosis of recurrence and prompt use of ICI in treatment of oligometastatic disease in our case presentation.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- single cell
- cell therapy
- prognostic factors
- squamous cell carcinoma
- end stage renal disease
- rectal cancer
- small cell lung cancer
- newly diagnosed
- risk factors
- ejection fraction
- early stage
- lymph node
- type diabetes
- stem cells
- cardiovascular disease
- bone marrow
- papillary thyroid
- risk assessment
- locally advanced
- human health
- lymph node metastasis
- young adults
- climate change
- quantum dots
- replacement therapy
- pi k akt