Would you offer definitive radiation therapy for a Merkel cell carcinoma in which surgical resection would be disfiguring or result in significant dysfunction?

Topics: Radiation Oncology • Melanoma/Skin Cancer • Dermatology

In general, how would you approach such a case with regards to creation of your treatment volumes and dose-fractionation?

Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution

I would, but after an appropriate discussion. First, I favor full staging of all Merkel cell patients with a PET/CT (though many would argue this is not mandatory for small tumor, node-negative patients). I would also recommend a sentinel node procedure because the risk of nodal disease is significa...

Comments

Radiation Oncologist at Big Horn Basin Regional Cancer Center
The Anti-Merkel Cell Panel could be helpful to mon...

Radiation Oncologist at University of Washington
I agree in general with Dr. @Roy H. Decker's thoug...

Related Questions