Table 3.
Tumor Characteristics and Treatment Profile of Patients Diagnosed With Merkel Cell Carcinoma in the Veterans Affairs Health System, 1995 to 2006
| Characteristic* | No. | % |
|---|---|---|
| Location of primary, n = 346 | ||
| Face | 45 | 13 |
| Head/neck | 28 | 8 |
| Upper extremity | 34 | 10 |
| Trunk | 68 | 20 |
| Lower extremity | 67 | 19 |
| Primary tumor diameter, cm (n = 315) | ||
| Median | 1.8 | |
| Range | 0.2-12.0 | |
| Stage at diagnosis per MSKCC system, n = 213 | ||
| I | 95 | 45 |
| II | 56 | 26 |
| III | 52 | 24 |
| IV | 10 | 5 |
| Type of surgical resection, n = 308 | ||
| Excisional biopsy only | 101 | 29 |
| Wide local excision | 95 | 27 |
| Mohs surgery | 8 | 2 |
| Biopsy followed by definitive resection | 40 | 12 |
| No surgery | 64 | 18 |
| Adjuvant therapy, n = 163 | ||
| Chemotherapy | 37 | 11 |
| Radiation therapy | 104 | 30 |
| Both | 22 | 6 |
| Recurrence of disease, n = 187 | 40 | 21 |
| Follow-up, months | ||
| Median | 38.5 | |
| Range | 2-139 | |
Abbreviation: MSKCC, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
*
n = patients evaluated.