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The first observation of the association of Merkel cell polyomavirus and Merkel cell carcinoma in Brazil
Author(s) -
Neto Cyro Festa,
Oliveira Walmar R. P.,
Costa Pedro V. A.,
Cardoso Melina K.,
Barreto Paula G.,
Romano Camila M.,
Urbano Paulo R.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/ijd.14325
Subject(s) - merkel cell carcinoma , merkel cell polyomavirus , medicine , dermatology , skin cancer , carcinoma , pathology , cancer
Background Merkel cell carcinoma ( MCC ) is a rare but aggressive primary cutaneous carcinoma with high mortality rates. The present study intends to delineate the epidemiological profile of patients with MCC seen at the Clinics Hospital of the Medical School at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and its association with Merkel cell polyomavirus ( MCP yV). Methods This is a retrospective study. A search was performed in the hospital's medical index for all cases of MCC from January 1994 to December 2012. Among patients with MCC , the available tumoral skin specimens were analyzed with two different techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (conventional and real‐time) for detection of MCP yV DNA . Additionally, paraffin‐embedded samples of patients with non‐ MCC skin cancers were also analyzed. Analyses suitable for categorical data (i.e., x ² of Fisher) were used to compare the proportion of patients in each group. Results Nineteen patients with MCC and 20 patients with non‐ MCC skin cancers entered the study. All MCC samples available (13) tested positive for the presence of MCP yV DNA ; however, in the non‐ MCC skin cancer samples, the MCP yV DNA was detected in 4 of 20 samples (20%). MCP yV DNA detection rate was higher in patients with MCC than in the other group, and its analysis was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). Conclusions This study demonstrates the association of MCP yV in Brazilian patients with MCC . However, further studies are necessary to determine the exact involvement of MCP yV in MCC pathogenesis and to define the significance of viral DNA detection in non‐ MCC skin cancers.