Department of Oncology, Kreftklinikken, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo Univer-sity Hospital, Marius Normann1* and Aase Bratland2, Norway
Case Report
Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma in a kidney transplant patient:
Experiences from treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor (avelumab) - A
Case Report
Author(s): Marius Normann
Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive
neuroendocrine skin cancer. Risk factors for MCC include age
>65 years, immunosuppression, sun exposure and infection by
polyomavirus. This neuroendocrine skin cancer is characterized
by a high rate of recurrence and metastases, including regional
nodal metastases. The use of checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) has
shown promising results in the treatment of metastatic MCC and,
consequently, CPIs are emerging immunotherapeutic options for
these patients. However, CPI treatment has not been recommended
for patients with organ transplant due to increased risk for acute
allograft rejection/failure possibly caused by such treatment.
Limited data exist on safety and efficacy on use of CPIs among
organ transplant recipients, since such recipients are routi.. View More»