Current Clinical Trials

Treatment options for patients with local recurrence include regional lymph node dissection and adjuvant radiation therapy if the regional draining nodes have not been previously treated.[1,2] An alternative approach for patients who have not had a complete regional lymph node dissection would be a sentinel lymph node biopsy and complete nodal dissection if positive nodes are identified.[3]

When possible, adjuvant radiation therapy of the site of recurrence as well as of the regional lymph node beds is recommended after surgery.[4,5] Chemotherapy may be an option for patients with unresectable recurrent tumors or for patients who have received their maximum tolerated radiation dose.[1]

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin ¹. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.

General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site ².

References

1. Haag ML, Glass LF, Fenske NA: Merkel cell carcinoma. Diagnosis and treatment. Dermatol Surg 21 (8): 669-83, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Ratner D, Nelson BR, Brown MD, et al.: Merkel cell carcinoma. J Am Acad Dermatol 29 (2 Pt 1): 143-56, 1993.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Allen PJ, Zhang ZF, Coit DG: Surgical management of Merkel cell carcinoma. Ann Surg 229 (1): 97-105, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
4. Nghiem P, McKee PH, Haynes HA: Merkel cell (cutaneous neuroendocrine) carcinoma. In: Sober AJ, Haluska FG, eds.: Skin Cancer. Hamilton, Ontario: BC Decker Inc., 2001., pp 127-141. 
   
   
5. Herbst A, Haynes HA, Nghiem P: The standard of care for Merkel cell carcinoma should include adjuvant radiation and lymph node surgery. J Am Acad Dermatol 46 (4): 640-2, 2002.  [PUBMED Abstract]