Every person is unique — and that means your skin cancer treatment should be one of a kind. At Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, you’ll receive a personalized care plan from our experts.
We screen to catch skin cancer early, when treatment is most effective. By giving you a precise diagnosis, we tailor your custom treatment plan to your specific type of cancer.
Merkel cell carcinoma, also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular cancer, is a rare type of skin cancer. About 2,500 cases are diagnosed each year.
The disease occurs when cancer cells form within the Merkel cells, which are located in the deepest part of the epidermis (the skin’s upper layer).
This type of skin cancer can look like a single, painless bump on sun-exposed skin like on the head, neck, arms, legs and midsection. These spots can be pink, red or purple.
Once formed, Merkel cell carcinoma may spread quickly within a few weeks or months, usually targeting the lymph nodes first. From there, it can spread to other areas on the skin or even other parts of the body, like the lungs, bones, brain or other organs.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for Merkel cell carcinoma that hasn’t spread is 75 percent. If the cancer spreads to surrounding tissue, the five-year survival rate is 61 percent.
Meet the skin cancer specialists at the Multidisciplinary Skin Cancer Clinic at Miami Cancer Institute. We combine world-recognized medical expertise, innovation and compassionate care to detect and treat your specific cancer.
You’ll get a personalized treatment plan based on groundbreaking discoveries and collaborations with other world-renowned cancer researchers.
A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of developing a disease. However, having a risk factor doesn’t necessarily mean you will get cancer. It’s important to know your personal risk factors and discuss any concerns with your doctor.
Risk factors include:
There are also risk factors for people with darker skin tones, including people of Hispanic and African American descent.
You can prevent or reduce your risk for basal cell carcinoma by:
Our experts also recommend knowing and understanding your personal risk factors. That way you can take steps to prevent or reduce your risk for Merkel cell carcinoma.
Our cancer specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute expertly combine the best of clinical research with the best of patient care to deliver your best outcomes.
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