Reliability of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Regional Staging of Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), also termed cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma, represents an aggressive malignancy of presumed neuroendocrine cell origin.1 Although it is an uncommon tumor, with approximately 470 cases diagnosed annually in the United States,2 the head and neck (H&N) region is the most common site involved.3 To date, a clear prognostic factor related to the primary tumor has yet to emerge. The most consistent predictor of survival remains the presence of nodal disease, which decreases the 5-year survival rate from 88% to 48%.4-10

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