Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42588589›Full record

ArticleCancers2026

A 30-Year Single-Centre Series of Unknown Primary Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Management and Prognosis.

Aikaterini Bini, Roxana Totorean, Hemant Kumar, Titus Grecu, Patrick Shenjere, Deemesh Oudit

Abstract read
In one paragraph

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

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 authors.

Aikaterini BiniDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.ORCID 0009-0005-7149-046X
Roxana TotoreanDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
Hemant KumarDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9689-7235
Titus GrecuDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4136-6872
Patrick ShenjereDepartment of Pathology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9627-6914
Deemesh OuditDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.ORCID 0009-0003-0565-6201

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine malignancy. Like cutaneous malignant melanomas, a subset of MCCs can clinically present without an identifiable primary tumour, termed Merkel cell carcinoma of unknown primary (UPMCC), with incompletely understood behaviour and prognosis. Our objectives are to evaluate the clinical presentation, management and survival outcomes in UPMCC and compare overall survival with metastatic MCC of known-primary origin.

methodsA retrospective review of 252 consecutive MCC patients (1992-2023) identified 20 cases of histologically confirmed nodal or metastatic UPMCC. Demographics, anatomical distribution, treatment and oncological outcomes were analysed. Overall survival was compared with patients presenting with metastatic MCC of known primary.

resultsThe cohort included 15 males and 5 females (mean age 76 years). Presentation most commonly involved inguinal (

conclusionsUPMCC most commonly presents as inguinal or axillary nodal disease. Survival outcomes suggest a trend toward improved prognosis compared to known-primary metastatic MCC.

Indexed as

lymphatic metastasisMerkel cell carcinomanodal metastasisprognosissurvivalunknown primary

Identifiers

PMID42588589
PMCPMC13465597

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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.