Treatment of Recurrent Merkel Cell Carcinoma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma may include the following:

• Wide local excision to remove a larger area of tissue than was removed in earlier surgery. A lymph node dissection may also be done.
• Radiation therapy after surgery.
• Chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy and/or surgery as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.