Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42018651›Full record

ArticleJCI insight2026

High tumor mutational burden and PIK3CA mutations correlate with poor Merkel cell carcinoma-specific survival.

Matheus Lobo, Furkan Bahar, Julia L Schnabel, Joao P Duprat Neto, Aniket Shetty, Karam Khaddour, Manisha Thakuria, Ann W Silk, James A DeCaprio

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in JCI insight, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Matheus LoboDepartment of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Furkan BaharDepartment of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Julia L SchnabelDepartment of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Joao P Duprat NetoDepartment of Cutaneous Oncology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Aniket ShettyCenter for Patient Derived Models, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Karam KhaddourDepartment of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Manisha ThakuriaDepartment of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ann W SilkDepartment of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
James A DeCaprioDepartment of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin characterized by poor prognosis. This study aimed to explore the relationship between genetic alterations, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and MCC-specific survival (MCC-SS) in patients who underwent genomic profiling of tumors with OncoPanel. Univariate and multivariable analysis were used to assess the impact of genetic alterations on MCC-SS. Of the 188 identified patients, 164 were included in the analysis. The cohort had a mean age of 72.4 years (SD = 11.03), including 61.6% male. The median TMB was 5.32 (IQR = 3.04-25.53). Kaplan-Meier curves by high versus low TMB were significantly different (log-rank test, P = 0.017). PIK3CA (adjusted P = 0.003), SETBP1 (adjusted P = 0.002), KDR (adjusted P = 0.028), and RET (adjusted P = 0.033) were selected for multivariable analysis. In the multivariable regressions, only PIK3CA (HR = 2.07 [95% CI, 1.10-3.88]; P = 0.024) remained significant. PIK3CA remained significant across prespecified sensitivity analyses. In this study, high TMB and PIK3CA alterations were associated with poor MCC-SS. Identifying a higher-risk subgroup may inform risk stratification and motivate further evaluation of PI3K pathway targeting in future studies.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Merkel CellClass I Phosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesMutationSkin NeoplasmsAgedAged, 80 and overBiomarkers, TumorFemaleHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisBiomarkers, TumorClass I Phosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesPIK3CA protein, humanDermatologyMolecular pathologyOncogenesOncologySkin cancerVirology

Identifiers

PMID42018651
PMCPMC13135387

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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.