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. 2022 Dec 31;23(1):1-3.
doi: 10.1080/15384047.2022.2145842.

Challenges documenting racial disparities in Merkel cell carcinoma

Mackenzie R Martin  1 , Noreen Mohsin  1 , Serena Vilasi  1 , Danielle Reed  1 , Isaac Brownell  1
Affiliations

Challenges documenting racial disparities in Merkel cell carcinoma

Mackenzie R Martin et al. Cancer Biol Ther. .

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer that predominantly impacts White patients. Overall incidence and the proportion of minority patients with MCC are both rising. In the more common skin cancer, melanoma, racial disparities are well-documented in stage at presentation and patient survival. Whether racial and ethnic disparities exist in MCC remains unclear. The study of MCC disparities is hampered by limitations in data registries, including SEER and NCDB, and an evolving natural history due to the advent of immunotherapy. Published MCC immunotherapy clinical trials consistently reported the racial diversity among enrolled subjects but failed to include patients' ethnicities. Efforts to improve data capture in cancer registries and create multi-institutional clinical databases will allow for more effective study of racial and ethnic disparities in rare cancers like MCC. Such studies are needed to advance policies promoting equity in care.

Keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma; health disparities; immunotherapy; racial disparities; rare diseases; skin cancer; survival; tumor registries.

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Conflict of interest statement

The opinions expressed in this article are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.

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