There are multiple treatments used for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), and treatment is typically based on factors such as the stage of the disease, other treatments you’ve had, how healthy your immune system is, and your other medical conditions. Treatment for one patient may not be exactly the same as treatment for another patient, depending on these different factors.

If you are diagnosed with MCC, it is very important to find a specialist. Your case should be reviewed with a team of doctors who have significant experience managing this rare cancer, so they can put together the best treatment plan for you. 

It is best to see a team of doctors that includes experts in each of the different treatment types for MCC.

This team often includes:

• dermatologists
• medical oncologists
• surgical oncologists
• radiation oncologists

Additional doctors may be included as needed based on your individual situation. 

It is important that your doctors understand that MCC is treated differently than other types of cancer, including melanoma or small cell lung cancer. 

• The most significant difference in treating MCC is the important role of radiation, since MCC responds to radiation better than most cancers
• Another important difference is that using chemotherapy after surgery (“adjuvant chemotherapy”), which is common when treating other cancers, has not been shown to improve survival in MCC. Chemotherapy often shrinks MCC tumors at first, but the cancer can come back due to chemotherapy also killing healthy immune cells. Immunotherapy offers a longer-lasting response than chemotherapy for many patients with MCC