Diagnosis and Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma in Specialized Dermatology Units: A Clinical Practice Guideline of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

Background and objective Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin cancer that is managed in a great variety of ways. However, international clinical practice guidelines give only partial coverage to issues considered major problems.The recommendations presented here aim to provide Spanish dermatologists with a guide to improving disputed aspects of diagnosis, staging, and treatment of localized Merkel cell carcinomas. Material and methods The ADAPTE process was used. Members of the Spanish Group of Oncologic Dermatology and Surgery (GEDOC) with experience in treating Merkel cell carcinoma and interest in drafting these guidelines were selected. The group described the care process and listed the most important clinical questions. They then searched for guidelines and assessed them with the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) tool. After consulting the guidelines for answers to their clinical questions, the group drafted the present statement and sent it for external review. Results The guidelines that scored highest in the AGREE II assessment step were the consensus-based interdisciplinary guideline of the European Association of Dermato-Oncology and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer, and those of the Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Alberta Health Services in Canada, the American Cancer Society, and the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the French Society of Dermatology. A total of 9 clinical questions were answered based on these guidelines. Conclusions The guidelines presented here answer clinical questions that arise in routine practice. They can provide dermatologists with a starting point for decision-making, although available resources and patient preferences must always be borne in mind.