Source: Cancer Resource Room

What is Merkel cell carcinoma?
Merkel cell carcinoma, also called neuroendocrine cancer of the skin, is a rare type of disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found on or just beneath the skin and in hair follicles.

What are the symptoms of Merkel cell carcinoma?
Merkel cell carcinoma usually appears as firm, painless, shiny lumps of skin. These lumps or tumors can be red, pink, or blue in color and vary in size from less than a quarter of an inch to more than two inches. Merkel cell carcinoma is usually found on the sun-exposed areas of the head, neck, arms, and legs. This type of cancer occurs mostly in whites between 60 and 80 years of age, but it can occur in people of other races and ages as well.

Merkel cell carcinoma grows rapidly and often metastasizes (spreads) to other parts of the body. Even relatively small tumors are capable of metastasizing. When the disease spreads, it tends to spread to the regional (nearby) lymph nodes and may also spread to the liver, bone, lungs, and brain. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They produce and store infection-fighting cells.

Treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma depends on the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and overall condition.

How is Merkel cell carcinoma diagnosed and what are the stages of Merkel cell carcinoma?
After Merkel cell carcinoma has been diagnosed (found), more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread from the place the cancer started to other parts of the body. The process used to find out whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body is called staging. It is important to know the stage of the disease to plan the best treatment. The following stages are used for Merkel cell carcinoma:

Stage I
The primary tumor has not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They produce and store infection-fighting cells.

Stage II
The cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but has not spread to other parts of the body.

Stage III
The cancer has spread beyond nearby lymph nodes and to other parts of the body.

Recurrent
Recurrent disease means that the cancer has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. It may come back in the same part of the body or in another part of the body.

We know that being diagnosed with cancer can be stressful for you and your family. We offer a variety of cancer support services to help patients and families gain the support and information they will need to meet the challenges ahead.

To find free education and support workshops plus wellness services offered this month, please view the HOPES calendar.

Read the most recent SUPPORT publication, a resource written by patients and families for patients and families >>>