Merkel cell carcinoma: the prognostic implications of an occult primary in stage IIIB (nodal) disease.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma is a highly aggressive cutaneous malignancy with a high rate of lymph node and distant metastatic disease. Approximately one third of patients present with stage IIIB (nodal) disease. OBJECTIVE: This cohort study was performed to analyze the outcome of patients with stage IIIB disease with or without an occult primary. METHODS: The details of 91 patients with stage IIIB (nodal) Merkel cell carcinoma treated curatively between 1985 and 2010 at 3 tertiary referral hospitals in Australia were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier plots were used with the primary end point being overall survival. Secondary end points were disease-free survival and relapse-free survival. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed for known prognostic factors. RESULTS: Of 91 patients with stage IIIB (nodal) disease, 36 (40%) had an occult primary. A total of 78 patients (86%) had surgery and 79 patients (87%) had definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy. With a median follow-up of 4.3 years, those with an occult primary did significantly better in terms of overall survival, disease-free survival, and relapse-free survival. On multivariate analysis, occult primary and patient age were the only factors predicting survival with hazard ratios of 0.30 (95% confidence interval 0.13-0.67) and 1.64 (95% confidence interval 1.13-2.38), respectively. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study over several decades with patients treated using various modalities. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that for patients with stage IIIB (nodal) Merkel cell carcinoma, the presence of an occult primary confers a significantly better prognosis that may have implications in the future staging and treatment of patients with stage III disease.

Outcomes treating stage III non-small cell lung carcinoma with curative-intent radiotherapy and concurrent carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Thoracic radiotherapy administered concurrently with chemotherapy is the standard of care for patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer, but the optimal chemotherapy regimen is not clearly established. The objective of this study was to assess outcomes in a large cohort of patients treated with curative-intent using carboplatin and paclitaxel. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing curative-intent radiotherapy to 60-66 Gy in 30-33 daily fractions with concurrent weekly carboplatin (AUC = 2) and paclitaxel (45 mg/m(2) /week) between March 2004 and May 2012 were identified from a prospective database and reviewed individually. A minimum follow-up of 3 months was required unless death occurred sooner. Response to treatment was defined according to established guidelines on re-staging computed tomography scan at 3 months. Toxicities were assessed using a standardised scoring system. RESULTS: One hundred and seven patients were analysed. The median follow-up was 43.5 months. Three months after treatment, a complete or partial response was observed in 72 patients (68%), and nine patients (8%) had already died. The overall locoregional failure rate was 47%, and failure eventually occurred at any site in 75 patients (70%). Median progression-free survival, and median survival were 15 and 22 months, respectively. Grade 3-4 neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia, nephrotoxicity, oesophagitis and pneumonitis were observed in 15%, 1%, 3%, 11% and 9% of patients during treatment, respectively. There was one episode of fatal radiation pneumonitis. CONCLUSION: Treatment with thoracic radiotherapy and concurrent carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy is feasible. Survival and toxicity outcomes compare favorably to those reported using cisplatin-based regimens.

Lateral temporal bone resection in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: report of 35 patients.

Objective To evaluate lateral temporal bone resection (LTBR) in the management of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with temporal bone invasion and patterns of failure. Methods This is a retrospective study of 35 patients undergoing lateral temporal bone resection for advanced cutaneous SCC at a tertiary care center between 1995 and 2006. Results The Pittsburgh tumor stage was T4 in 18 patients (51%), T3 in 5 (14%), T2 in 9 (26%), and T1 in 3 (9%). Clear margins were reported in 22 (63%) patients. Resection of the mandible and/or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was required in 11 (31%) patients. Facial nerve involvement was seen in 10 (29%) patients. Survival outcomes at 2 and 5 years for overall survival were 72% and 49%; disease-free survival, 68% and 59%; and disease-specific survival, 79% and 62%, respectively. Pittsburgh T stage correlated significantly with disease-specific survival (p = 0.015) and margin status was significant for both disease-free survival (p = 0.0015) and disease-specific survival (p < 0.001). Conclusions Surgery with curative intent is justified for cutaneous SCC invading the temporal bone with extended LTBR. Margin status was a significant predictor of outcome. Surgeons should plan preoperatively to achieve clear margins by extending the LTBR with possible nerve resection.

Effect of radiotherapy dose and volume on relapse in Merkel cell cancer of the skin.

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of radiotherapy (RT) dose and volume on relapse patterns in patients with Stage I-III Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 112 patients diagnosed with MCC between January 2000 and December 2005 and treated with curative-intent RT. RESULTS: Of the 112 evaluable patients, 88% had RT to the site of primary disease for gross (11%) or subclinical (78%) disease. Eighty-nine percent of patients had RT to the regional lymph nodes; in most cases (71%) this was for subclinical disease in the adjuvant or elective setting, whereas 21 patients (19%) were treated with RT to gross nodal disease. With a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 72% and 53%, respectively, and the 2-year locoregional control rate was 75%. The in-field relapse rate was 3% for primary disease, and relapse was significantly lower for patients receiving >or=50 Gy (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.86). Surgical margins did not affect the local relapse rate. The in-field relapse rate was 11% for RT to the nodes, with dose being significant for nodal gross disease (HR = 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07-0.87). Patients who did not receive elective nodal RT had a much higher rate of nodal relapse compared with those who did (HR = 6.03; 95% CI, 1.34-27.10). CONCLUSION: This study indicates a dose-response for subclinical and gross MCC. Doses of >or=50 Gy for subclinical disease and >or=55 Gy for gross disease should be considered. The draining nodal basin should be treated in all patients.