1. Clinicopathological features, MCPyV status and outcomes of Merkel cell carcinoma in solid-organ transplant recipients: a retrospective, multicentre cohort study.
- Author
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Ferrándiz-Pulido C, Gómez-Tomás A, Llombart B, Mendoza D, Marcoval J, Piaserico S, Baykal C, Bouwes-Bavinck JN, Rácz E, Kanitakis J, Harwood CA, Cetkovská P, Geusau A, Del Marmol V, Masferrer E, Orte Cano C, Ricar J, de Oliveira WR, Salido-Vallejo R, Ducroux E, Gkini MA, López-Guerrero JA, Kutzner H, Kempf W, and Seçkin D
- Subjects
- Humans, Retrospective Studies, TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases, Carcinoma, Merkel Cell pathology, Merkel cell polyomavirus, Organ Transplantation adverse effects, Polyomavirus Infections, Skin Neoplasms pathology, Tumor Virus Infections complications
- Abstract
Background: The proportion of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) in solid-organ transplant recipients (SOTR) harbouring Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is unknown, as are factors affecting their outcomes., Objective: To describe clinicopathological features of MCC in SOTR, investigate the tumoral MCPyV-status and identify factors associated with tumour outcomes., Methods: Retrospective, international, cohort-study. MCPyV-status was investigated by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction., Results: A total of 30 SOTR and 44 consecutive immunocompetent patients with MCC were enrolled. SOTR were younger at diagnosis (69 vs. 78 years, P < 0.001). Thirty-three percent of SOTR MCCs were MCPyV-positive vs. 91% of immunocompetent MCCs (P = 0.001). Solid-organ transplantation was associated with an increased cumulative incidence of progression (SHR: 3.35 [1.57-7.14], P = 0.002), MCC-specific mortality (SHR: 2.55 [1.07-6.06], P = 0.034) and overall mortality (HR: 3.26 [1.54-6.9], P = 0.002). MCPyV-positivity and switching to an mTOR inhibitor (mTORi) after MCC diagnosis were associated with an increased incidence of progression (SHR: 4.3 [1.5-13], P = 0.008 and SHR: 3.6 [1.1-12], P = 0.032 respectively) in SOTR., Limitations: Retrospective design and heterogeneity of SOTR cohort., Conclusions: MCPyV appears to play a less prominent role in the aetiopathogenesis of MCC in SOTR. SOTR have a worse prognosis than their immunocompetent counterparts and switching to an mTORi after the diagnosis of MCC does not improve progression., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)
- Published
- 2022
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