Merkel cell carcinoma in solid organ transplant recipients: prognosis and response to immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer with an increased risk of occurrence in immunocompromised patients, including solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs). As the number of SOTRs rises worldwide, MCC cases in this population are also expected to increase. While anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1; also known as anti-programmed death ligand 1) immunotherapy generates durable tumour responses in ∼50% of immunocompetent (IC) patients with advanced MCC, its efficacy and safety in SOTRs remain uncertain as these patients have been excluded from most clinical trials.

Objectives

To compare baseline characteristics and outcomes among SOTRs and IC patients with MCC, and to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of anti-PD-L1 in SOTRs.

Met

SUBMITTER: Akaike T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12597097 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature