ArticleCancers2022
Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the External Ear: Population-Based Analysis and Survival Outcomes.
Article in Cancers, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Survival Outcomes in Lymph Node-Positive Merkel Cell Carcinoma (Stage III): A Comparison Between Known and Unknown Primary Tumors and Their Sun Exposure Sites.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
(1) Background: Due to its highly aggressive behavior, the ability to identify and manage Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) with a full understanding of its characteristics is essential. Because the external ear is an exposed area, resection can have dramatic consequences on patient’s self-image, which is why it is fundamental to detect MCC, typically found on UV-exposed regions such as the ears, at an early stage. (2) Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was searched for all external ear MCC between 2000 and 2019. A descriptive analysis based on frequencies was made to describe the demography of pathophysiologic features linked to MCC. Overall survival (OS) was studied and compared between variables with a log rank test. A multivariable Cox regression analysis was then computed to identify independent prognostic factors. (3) Results: A total of 210 patients (160 men) were identified with a median age of 80 years. The median OS was 47 months. Factors associated with lower OS included an age of over 80 years, the male gender, a tumor size of >5 cm, and metastatic disease. Gross (<1 cm) and wide (>1 cm) surgery excision margins were the surgery types with the best OS. (4) Conclusions: MCC of the external ear is diagnosed mostly in old men. Among the 182 patients who received a surgical procedure, gross and wide excision without radiotherapy were associated with the best OS.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.