Can Merkel cell cancer be cured?

Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Merkel cell carcinoma is highly treatable with surgical and nonsurgical therapies, particularly if caught early. Treatments are often highly individualized, depending on a patient’s general health, as well as the tumor’s location, size, depth, and degree of spread.

Where does Merkel cell cancer start?

Merkel cell carcinoma tumors are most often found on sun-exposed areas of skin, such as the face, neck, and arms. But they can start anywhere on the body. They usually appear as firm, shiny skin lumps that don’t hurt. The lumps may be red, pink, or blue.

How do you get rid of Merkel cell carcinoma?

During surgery, your doctor removes the tumor along with a border of normal skin surrounding the tumor. If there’s evidence that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the area of the skin tumor, those lymph nodes are removed (lymph node dissection). The surgeon most often uses a scalpel to cut away the cancer.

Does Chemo work on Merkel cell carcinoma?

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is rare, so it’s been hard to study the use of chemotherapy for MCC in clinical trials. Because of this, doctors often use chemo drugs that have been helpful in treating other types of fast-growing neuroendocrine tumors.

How do I know if I have Merkel cell carcinoma?

Merkel cell carcinoma can look like a sore.

A red or pink spot.

Reddish, slightly raised spot that looks like a sore.

Quickly growing spot on your skin that sometimes bleeds.

Quickly growing, firm, dome-shaped growth.

A stye or cyst.

A growing sore.

Any fast-growing spot or mass.

Does Merkel cell carcinoma grow fast?

Merkel cell carcinoma tends to grow fast and to spread quickly to other parts of your body. Treatment options for Merkel cell carcinoma often depend on whether the cancer has spread beyond the skin.

Can Merkel cell come back?

Merkel cell carcinoma can recur (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the skin, lymph nodes, or other parts of the body. It is common for Merkel cell carcinoma to recur.

How bad is Merkel cell carcinoma?

Merkel cell carcinoma, or MCC, is a rare skin cancer that can be fatal, killing about 700 people per year. It occurs more commonly in people frequently exposed to ultraviolet light. Most cases of MCC show up first with a small red or purple bump on the skin.

How big is a Merkel cell?

How to spot a Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Dimensions vary, but the average size at detection is 1.7 cm, about the diameter of a dime. Frequently on sun-exposed areas, often on the head and neck, particularly the eyelids.