pazopanib and oblimersen

Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor with a high incidence of local recurrence, regional nodal and distant metastasis, and a high mortality rate. It has been linked to a polyomavirus in addition to immune suppression. Traditionally, treatment options have been limited to surgery and radiation therapy. Better understanding of the molecular pathways of infection and carcinogenesis has provided potential molecular targets and potential immunotherapies which are discussed in this review.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antineoplastic Agents; Benzamides; Biomarkers; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell; CD56 Antigen; Electrochemotherapy; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; Humans; Imatinib Mesylate; Immunotherapy; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Indazoles; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; Interferons; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-2; Ipilimumab; Lymphatic Metastasis; Membrane Proteins; Merkel cell polyomavirus; Oligonucleotides, Antisense; Piperazines; Polyomavirus Infections; Prognosis; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; Pyrimidines; Receptors, Somatomedin; Skin Neoplasms; Somatostatin; Sulfonamides; Survivin; Thionucleotides; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases