What Researchers Did
Researchers at the University of Florida reviewed their experience treating 12 patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck with radiotherapy.
What They Found
Local-regional control was achieved in 7 of 8 patients treated at initial diagnosis and all 4 patients treated for local-regional recurrence. However, 1 patient from the initial diagnosis group and all 4 patients from the recurrence group developed distant metastases and eventually died.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck should expect aggressive treatment targeting both the primary tumor and draining lymphatics. This approach aims to prevent local-regional recurrence, which the study suggests is a strong indicator of distant metastases.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted at the University of Florida.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are limited by its small sample size of 12 patients and its retrospective, single-institution design.