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Disease

Carcinoma, Merkel Cell

Active therapeutic pipelineEmerging research
2
Publications
3
Clinical trials
1
Related conditions
2024
Latest publication
Current focus
Therapeutic developmentGenetics & risk factorsInflammation & immunity
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Integrating Epidemiology, Immunology, and Therapeutic Updates.

Research2024-04-22American journal of clinical dermatology

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features.

Research2020-07-29International journal of molecular sciences

What's happening now

An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.

Therapeutic landscape

Therapies with a regulatory footing for this condition, alongside the wider set of agents co-studied with it in the literature.

Approved & established therapies
Retifanlimabapproved

Approval — Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC) Zynyz is indicated in combination with c… (2024)

Avelumabapproved

Approval — Bavencio is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic… (2017)

Clinical trials

3 sponsors · 1 new · 0 completed in the last 12 months (net +1)

The current development programme across all trial phases.

Regulatory timeline

Drug regulatory events matched to this condition by indication — EMA.

First approvals
2024emaApprovalRetifanlimab· Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC) Zynyz is indicated in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or with inoperable locally recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC). Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC)  Zynyz is indicated as monotherapy for the first line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) not amenable to curative surgery or radiation therapy. source ↗
2017emaApprovalAvelumab· Bavencio is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Bavencio in combination with axitinib is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Bavencio is indicated as monotherapy for the first?line maintenance treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) who are progression-free following platinum?based chemotherapy. source ↗

European Medicines Agency (CC BY 4.0). Events are matched to this condition by drug indication text — approvals/updates for drugs indicated for it, not disease-specific acts.

Research activity

2 papers

Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Publications over time
20202024
Most influential

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features.

International journal of molecular sciences · 2020 · 120 cites

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Integrating Epidemiology, Immunology, and Therapeutic Updates.

American journal of clinical dermatology · 2024 · 24 cites
Recent publications

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Integrating Epidemiology, Immunology, and Therapeutic Updates.

American journal of clinical dermatology · 2024 · 24 cites

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Biological and Clinical Features.

International journal of molecular sciences · 2020 · 120 cites
Major themes4
  • Carcinoma, Merkel Cell1
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic1
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors1
  • Skin Neoplasms1
Leading journals2
  • American journal of clinical dermatology1
  • International journal of molecular sciences1
Leading researchers8
  • Becker JC1
  • Cavallo F1
  • Cazzato G1
  • Cives M1
  • Filoni E1
  • Giudice G1
  • Lospalluti L1
  • Mannavola F1
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
  • Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari1
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Oncology (DIMO)1
  • German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)1
  • Institute of Medical Informatics1
  • National Cancer Center1
  • University Duisburg-Essen1

Related conditions

1 match

Diseases frequently studied alongside this one. Number shows shared papers.

Reference

Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.

Defined in MeSH

A carcinoma arising from MERKEL CELLS located in the basal layer of the epidermis and occurring most commonly as a primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. Merkel cells are tactile cells of neuroectodermal origin and histologically show neurosecretory granules. The skin of the head and neck are a common site of Merkel cell carcinoma, occurring generally in elderly patients. (Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, p1245)

References & data sources
  • Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
  • Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  • Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
  • Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.