Virale oncogenese van het merkelcelcarcinoom

A merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, but aggressive neuro-endocrine cutaneous cancer often appearing as a single, painless, skin-colored to red-blue lump on sun-exposed skin. The lesion appears clinically not malignant, but grows rapidly. An MCC is caused by the merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), a virus that is part of the normal skin flora and that was discovered in 2008. The exposure to ultraviolet radiation and immunosuppression increase the risk of an MCC and provide a suitable environment for the integrated MCV to lead to malignant transformation. Surgery with wide safety margins for localized lesions can be curative. In advanced stages, an MCC is one of the most lethal skin cancers. The scientific knowledge on the MCV is growing with respect to viral integration, carcinogenesis and immune response. The emerging use of this knowledge for clinical practice is discussed.

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