Reuters Health: Merkel cell cancers recur more often than other skin cancers
UC expert says early detection of recurrence is important for treatment
New research shows that Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) recurs in patients much more often than other skin cancers, often within three years of diagnosis.
MCC is a more rare skin cancer that usually appears as a flesh-colored or bluish-red nodule on the skin, often on the face, head or neck.
Rekha Chaudhary, MD, adjunct associate professor at the UC College of Medicine and a UC Health oncologist, reviewed the research and told Reuters Health that new immunotherapy treatments have proven effective against MCC recurrence, making early detection of recurrence important.
"This study was very helpful in predicting those rates of recurrence," she said. "Following an MCC patient who has had a complete resection closely is very important now, given the new innovative treatments, and national guidelines should be adjusted accordingly."
Read the Reuters Health article.
Featured photo at top of Dr. Chaudhary. Photo/Colleen Kelley/University of Cincinnati.
Related Stories
Love it or raze it?
February 20, 2026
An architectural magazine covered the demolition of UC's Crosley Tower.
Social media linked to student loneliness
February 20, 2026
Inside Higher Education highlighted a new study by the University of Cincinnati that found that college students across the country who spent more time on social media reported feeling more loneliness.
Before the medals: The science behind training for freezing mountain air
February 19, 2026
From freezing temperatures to thin mountain air, University of Cincinnati exercise physiologist Christopher Kotarsky, PhD, explained how cold and altitude impact Olympic performance in a recent WLWT-TV/Ch. 5 news report.