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Chemotherapy for metastatic merkel cell carcinoma. Review of the M. D. Anderson hospital's experience
Author(s) -
Feun Lynn G.,
Savaraj Niramol,
Legha Sewa S.,
Silva Elvio G.,
Benjamin Robert S.,
Burgess Michael A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19880815)62:4<683::aid-cncr2820620406>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - medicine , merkel cell carcinoma , chemotherapy , merkel cell , carcinoma , oncology , disease
Thirteen patients with regional or distant metastases from Merkel cell carcinoma were treated with combination chemotherapy. Three patients had a complete response to therapy. In two patients with nodal disease the duration of response was 10+ and 4+ years. In addition, three patients had a partial response, and six patients had minor responses. Chemotherapy using a combination of drugs that are active against small cell carcinoma of the lung is recommended in the treatment of unresectable disease in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma; it may produce prolonged responses. While tumor regressions as a result of chemotherapy were often dramatic, once the disease progressed, the course of the disease often moved rapidly downhill and proved to be fatal.