1. Relationships among primary tumor size, number of involved nodes, and survival for 8044 cases of Merkel cell carcinoma
- Author
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Iyer, Jayasri G, Storer, Barry E, Paulson, Kelly G, Lemos, Bianca, Phillips, Jerri Linn, Bichakjian, Christopher K, Zeitouni, Nathalie, Gershenwald, Jeffrey E, Sondak, Vernon, Otley, Clark C, Yu, Siegrid S, Johnson, Timothy M, Liegeois, Nanette J, Byrd, David, Sober, Arthur, and Nghiem, Paul
- Subjects
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Oncology and Carcinogenesis ,Rare Diseases ,Clinical Research ,Cancer ,Aged ,Aged ,80 and over ,Carcinoma ,Merkel Cell ,Cohort Studies ,Databases ,Factual ,Disease-Free Survival ,Female ,Humans ,Lymph Nodes ,Lymphatic Metastasis ,Male ,Middle Aged ,Neoplasm Invasiveness ,Neoplasm Recurrence ,Local ,Neoplasm Staging ,Predictive Value of Tests ,Prognosis ,Retrospective Studies ,Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ,Skin Neoplasms ,Survival Analysis ,Tumor Burden ,United States ,average tumor size ,Merkel cell carcinoma ,National Cancer Data Base ,neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin ,nodal spread ,prognosis ,regional node metastasis ,sentinel lymph node biopsy ,Clinical Sciences ,Dermatology & Venereal Diseases ,Clinical sciences - Abstract
BackgroundThe effects of primary tumor size on nodal involvement and of number of involved nodes on survival have not, to our knowledge, been examined in a national database of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).ObjectiveWe sought to analyze a retrospective cohort of patients with MCC from the largest US national database to assess the relationships between these clinical parameters and survival.MethodsA total of 8044 MCC cases in the National Cancer Data Base were analyzed.ResultsThere was a 14% risk of regional nodal involvement for 0.5-cm tumors that increased to 25% for 1.7-cm (median-sized) tumors and to more than 36% for tumors 6 cm or larger. The number of involved nodes was strongly predictive of survival (0 nodes, 76% 5-year relative survival; 1 node, 50%; 2 nodes, 47%; 3-5 nodes, 42%; and ≥6 nodes, 24%; P < .0001 for trend). Younger and/or male patients were more likely to undergo pathological nodal evaluation.LimitationsThe National Cancer Data Base does not capture disease-specific survival. Hence, relative survival was calculated by comparing overall survival with age- and sex-matched US population data.ConclusionPathologic nodal evaluation should be considered even for patients with small primary MCC tumors. The number of involved nodes is strongly predictive of survival and may help improve prognostic accuracy and management.
- Published
- 2014