Complete response with neoadjuvant avelumab in Merkel cell carcinoma – A case report
Author links open overlay panelNadineAbdallahaMisakoNagasakabcTahmidaChowdhurybKunilRavaldJeffreyHotalingeAmmarSukarib
a
Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
b
Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
c
Department of Advanced Medical Innovation, St. Marianna University Graduate School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan
d
Department of Pathology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
e
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
Received 26 June 2019, Accepted 28 June 2019, Available online 2 July 2019.

Show less
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.06.031Get rights and content
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive neuroendocrine skin malignancy. We report here a case of localized MCC achieving pathologic complete response upon treatment with avelumab in the neoadjuvant setting. Preclinical and clinical studies have revealed a close relationship between MCC and the immune system, thus supporting a role for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in MCC. This neoadjuvant use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors can avoid potentially disfiguring surgery in MCC. As the incidence of MCC is rising, clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in resectable disease.

Keywords
Merkel cell carcinomaAvelumabPD-1 inhibitorPD-L1 inhibitorNeoadjuvant
Abbreviations
MCCMerkel cell carcinomaMCPyVMerkel cell polyoma virusNCCNnational comprehensive cancer networkORRobjective response rateOSoverall survivalPFSprogression-free survivalSEERsurveillance, epidemiology, and end results
View full text
© 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.