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Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare occurring skin cancer. Merkel cells are found in the skin’s top layer or outermost layer of your skin (epidermis) and closed to the nerve endings that are responsible for the sense of touch. Any abnormality in the growth of the cell cause Merkel cell carcinoma and spread rapidly and affect the nearby organs also like lymph, lungs, nodes, bones etc. Also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular cancer. It is estimated that being rare type of cancer, it is estimated in U.S. that its occurrence is around one case per 130,000 people and also it is 40 times rare than melanoma.

The disease starts most often in areas of skin exposed to the sun, especially the head and neck, as well as the arms, legs, and trunk. It is most common in older people and in people with weakened immune systems. 

Symptoms

No early symptoms found. The first sign of Merkel cell carcinoma is the formation of painless lump on the skin of face, head, neck, or anywhere on the body that are even unexposed to sun-exposure, which is usually a fast-growing and appeared in the blue-red, purple color or sometimes skin color. If any such symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult to the doctor immediately.

Causes

The true cause of this type of carcinoma is still not single out by the doctors. It is believed that weak immunity and long duration sun exposure are responsible for causing such cancer. Research reported that the main cause of this disease is due to the virus known as Merkel cell polyomavirus, which is present on the skin without showing any sign and symptoms.

Risk factors

Many factors are there which may increase the risk of Merkel cell carcinoma. This include:

• Sun Exposure- Prolonged exposure of UV rays that comes from the sun, which affect Merkel cell present on skin surfaces causing cancer.
• Weak Immune system- People with weak immune system are more likely to develop Merkel cell carcinoma.
• Older age- This type of cancer is common in the people who are above 65 years age. 
• Skin cancer History- If a person has already pre-existing skin cancer like squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, there is greater chance to get this cancer also.
• Light skin color- Research found this type of cancer, to be more common in white people than black ones. It is usually arise in people having light-colored skin tone and also occurrence found to be more in male than in female.
• Merkel cell polyomavirus- It has been reported that 8 in 10 people with MCC have virus in their cancerous cells. 

Stages of the cancer

In order to understand the severity of this disease, tests are performed after the diagnosis, to understand its spread in other parts of the body and gather disease related information, which is done by the process known as staging. Treatment, can therefore be planned on the basis of staging.  Different stages of this cancer are based on different factors like:

• Tumor size and its spread to different organs like lymph nodes etc. 
• Patient’s age
• Cancer recurred (come back) or recently diagnosed.
• Stages of Merkel Cell Carcinoma