Current Clinical Trials

Note: Some citations in the text of this section are followed by a level of evidence. The PDQ editorial boards use a formal ranking system to help the reader judge the strength of evidence linked to the reported results of a therapeutic strategy. (Refer to the PDQ summary on Levels of Evidence ¹ for more information.)

Chemotherapy is the treatment most often used for patients with stage III Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).[1-5][Level of evidence: 3iiiDiv] Because of morphologic and immunohistochemical similarities, the regimens employed are similar to those used for patients with small cell lung cancer. (See the PDQ summary on Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment ² for chemotherapeutic options.) Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine and etoposide plus cisplatin are the most commonly used regimens. MCC often responds to chemotherapy initially, but the response is usually short-lived and the impact of chemotherapy on survival is uncertain.[1-5]

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin ³. 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 ⁴.

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. Tai PT, Yu E, Winquist E, et al.: Chemotherapy in neuroendocrine/Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin: case series and review of 204 cases. J Clin Oncol 18 (12): 2493-9, 2000.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
4. Feun LG, Savaraj N, Legha SS, et al.: Chemotherapy for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Review of the M.D. Anderson Hospital's experience. Cancer 62 (4): 683-5, 1988.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
5. Voog E, Biron P, Martin JP, et al.: Chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Cancer 85 (12): 2589-95, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   

Glossary Terms

Nonconsecutive case series with tumor response rate as an endpoint. See Levels of Evidence for Adult and Pediatric Cancer Treatment Studies (PDQ®) for more information.