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Management of the neck in Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: University of Miami experience
Author(s) -
Shnayder Yelizaveta,
Weed Donald T.,
Arnold David J.,
GomezFernandez Carmen,
Bared Anthony,
Goodwin W. Jarrard,
Civantos Francisco J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.20899
Subject(s) - medicine , neck dissection , merkel cell carcinoma , wide local excision , biopsy , surgery , sentinel lymph node , head and neck , radiation therapy , dissection (medical) , lymph node , carcinoma , radiology , cancer , pathology , breast cancer
Background. We reviewed management of the cervical lymph nodes in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the head and neck. Methods. Records of 15 patients with MCC of the head and neck area were evaluated for the type of surgical treatment, including wide local excision, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, neck dissection, postoperative radiation therapy, and clinical outcomes. Results. Median follow‐up was 24 months (range, 5–84 months). Ten patients were treated with wide local excision plus SLN, with or without neck dissection. Five patients were treated with wide local excision only or wide local excision plus neck dissection. One patient died of distant metastases (7%), and 14 patients remain alive (93%), over a mean follow‐up of 24 months. Conclusion. Wide excision and SLN biopsy for primary MCC with N0 neck is feasible for early‐stage, previously untreated lesions. SLN biopsy was helpful in determining the nodal levels to be dissected or irradiated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008