Molecular pathogenesis of Merkel cell carcinoma
JA DeCaprio - Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of …, 2021 - annualreviews.org
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin with
two distinct etiologies. Clonal integration of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA into the tumor
genome with persistent expression of viral T antigens causes at least 60% of all MCC. UV
damage leading to highly mutated genomes causes a nonviral form of MCC. Despite these
distinct etiologies, both forms of MCC are similar in presentation, prognosis, and response to
therapy. At least three oncogenic transcriptional programs feature prominently in both forms …
two distinct etiologies. Clonal integration of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA into the tumor
genome with persistent expression of viral T antigens causes at least 60% of all MCC. UV
damage leading to highly mutated genomes causes a nonviral form of MCC. Despite these
distinct etiologies, both forms of MCC are similar in presentation, prognosis, and response to
therapy. At least three oncogenic transcriptional programs feature prominently in both forms …