ArticleThe British journal of dermatology2021
High somatostatin receptor expression and efficacy of somatostatin analogues in patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.
Article in The British journal of dermatology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 44 citations in OpenAlex.
- Lanreotide, a Somatostatin Analogue, in Advanced Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Single-Arm Phase II Study.Cancer medicine · 2026Trial
- Understanding Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Pathogenic Signaling, Extracellular Matrix Dynamics, and Novel Treatment Approaches.Cancers · 2025Review
- Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with somatostatin analogs beyond gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.Journal of neuroendocrinology · 2025Review
- Article
- Advancing Treatment Options for Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Review of Tumor-Targeted Therapies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Agonists, Antagonists and Receptors of Somatostatin: Pathophysiological and Therapeutical Implications in Neoplasias.Current issues in molecular biology · 2024Review
- Systemic Therapy for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: Latest Advances.Current oncology reports · 2024Review
- Unmasking hidden Merkel cell carcinoma recurrences: Three illustrative cases of patients with rising viral oncoprotein antibody levels and challenge of requiring multi-modal imaging to detect clinical disease.Radiology case reports · 2024Article
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Integrating Epidemiology, Immunology, and Therapeutic Updates.American journal of clinical dermatology · 2024Review
- Therapeutic Approaches for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Standard of Care and Emerging Modalities.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Merkel cell carcinoma: updates in tumor biology, emerging therapies, and preclinical models.Frontiers in oncology · 2024Review
- Review of Merkel cell carcinoma with solitary pancreatic metastases mimicking primary neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas.Clinical journal of gastroenterology · 2023Review
- The Evolving Treatment Landscape of Merkel Cell Carcinoma.Current treatment options in oncology · 2023Review
- Now you see me: lights on Merkel Cell Carcinoma.European journal of hybrid imaging · 2023Article
- Review
- Management and Prognosis of Cardiac Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study and Literature Review.Cancers · 2022Article
- Article
- Comprehensive Assessment of Somatostatin Receptors in Various Neoplasms: A Systematic Review.Pharmaceutics · 2022Review
- Scientific and clinical developments in Merkel cell carcinoma: A polyomavirus-driven, often-lethal skin cancer.Journal of dermatological science · 2022Review
- Growth Hormone and the Human Hair Follicle.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
18 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive, high-grade, cutaneous neuroendocrine tumour (NET). Agents blocking programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 have efficacy in metastatic MCC (mMCC), but half of patients do not derive durable benefit. Somatostatin analogues (SSAs) are commonly used to treat low- and moderate-grade NETs that express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs).
objectivesTo assess SSTR expression and the efficacy of SSAs in mMCC, a high-grade NET. Methods In this retrospective study of 40 patients with mMCC, SSTR expression was assessed radiologically by somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS; n = 39) and/or immunohistochemically when feasible (n = 9). Nineteen patients (18 had SRS uptake in MCC tumours) were treated with SSA. Disease control was defined as progression-free survival (PFS) of ≥ 120 days after initiation of SSA.
resultsThirty-three of 39 patients (85%) had some degree (low 52%, moderate 23%, high 10%) of SRS uptake. Of 19 patients treated with SSA, seven had a response-evaluable target lesion; three of these seven patients (43%) experienced disease control, with a median PFS of 237 days (range 152-358). Twelve of 19 patients did not have a response-evaluable lesion due to antecedent radiation; five of these 12 (42%) experienced disease control (median PFS of 429 days, range 143-1757). The degree of SSTR expression (determined by SRS and/or immunohistochemistry) did not correlate significantly with the efficacy endpoints.
conclusionsIn contrast to other high-grade NETs, mMCC tumours appear frequently to express SSTRs. SSAs can lead to clinically meaningful disease control with minimal side-effects. Targeting of SSTRs using SSA or other novel approaches should be explored further for mMCC.
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