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Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Other HIV-Associated Skin Cancers

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of AIDS

  • 173 Accesses

Definition

Cutaneous neoplasms are cancers that originate from the skin and are the most common malignancies in the United States. Patients with HIV and other immunocompromised diseases have not only a greater risk of developing common skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma but also more unusual cutaneous tumors such as Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), Kaposi sarcoma (KS), and certain lymphomas.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive cutaneous neoplasm of neuroendocrine origin, most commonly associated with increased ultraviolet radiation. A recently described polyomavirus (MCPyV) has been found present in the majority of MCC suggesting an oncogenic viral role in tumorigenesis. Immunosuppression may also contribute to MCC development given the tumor’s increased incidence in patients with HIV and hematologic malignancies and in those who have undergone solid organ transplantation.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Introduction

Merkel...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Nathalie C. Zeitouni & Bethany Lema

Authors
  1. Nathalie C. Zeitouni
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  2. Bethany Lema
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nathalie C. Zeitouni .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Cell & Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Thomas J. Hope

  2. Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA

    Mario Stevenson

  3. University of California, San Diego Dept. Pathology, La Jolla, California, USA

    Douglas Richman

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Zeitouni, N.C., Lema, B. (2013). Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Other HIV-Associated Skin Cancers. In: Hope, T., Stevenson, M., Richman, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9610-6_2-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9610-6_2-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9610-6

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