Complete response of merkel cell carcinoma with brain metastases to pembrolizumab and radiotherapy: A case report

Ansgar Koechel*, Franz-Joachim Hilke, Bernhard Klumpp, Christopher Schroeder, Thomas Eigentler, Diana Lomberg, Claus Garbe and Ulrike Leiter

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, but highly malignant and fast growing skin-cancer with high recurrence-rates, deriving from endothelial and neuroendocrine tissues. For advanced Merkel cell carcinoma prognosis is poor [1] and even under cytotoxic chemotherapy there is only a median progression-free survival of only 3 months [2,3]. Even though Merkel cell carcinoma frequently shows lymphatic metastases, it almost never shows cerebral involvement [1]. To our knowledge there are only twelve reported cases of cerebral metastases. Furthermore this is the first reported case of complete response in a patient with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma Stage IV with brain metastases under combined treatment with pembrolizumab and radiotherapy.

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Published on: Jun 3, 2021 Pages: 59-62

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/2455-5282.000129
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