AUTHOR=Rusheen Joshua , Clune James , Ariyan Stephan , Baumann Raymond , Kluger Harriet , Olino Kelly , Weiss Sarah TITLE=Case report: Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma presenting seven years after loco-regional disease resection of primary tumor with interval in-transit and nodal metastases JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1217816 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1217816 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare tumor with a high risk of recurrence after definitive therapy; however, the optimal duration of surveillance is unclear. First recurrences typically occur within 3 years. National guidelines recommend that patients undergo physical examination and imaging for surveillance during this time period. However, the duration of surveillance beyond this is not defined. Here, we describe a case of a patient developing a recurrence of MCC 7 years after the primary diagnosis with interval in-transit and regional lymph node metastases 15 months following the treatment of the primary MCC. Such late recurrences are rare, largely not reported, and the risk factors contributing to late recurrences are not well described. This case highlights the possibility of late recurrences of MCC after an initial in-transit and nodal recurrence and underscores the importance of identifying predictors of recurrence that may better guide the duration of surveillance.