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102<br />
Some Random Observations About MCC and Me<br />
Saturday, November 05, 2011<br />
This is my 100th post.<br />
Here is a graph showing survival of patients <strong>with</strong> <strong>Merkel</strong> <strong>Cell</strong> Carcinoma by stage at the<br />
time of diagnosis.<br />
Relative survival for 2,856 <strong>Merkel</strong> cell carcinoma patients by stage according to the 2009<br />
AJCC staging system. Percent relative survival was calculated for cases in the National<br />
<strong>Cancer</strong> Database using age- and sex-matched control data from the Centers for Disease<br />
Control and Prevention. Stages are as indicated in the figure except for Stage IIIA which<br />
could not be derived using this dataset. The curve marked “IIIA*” represents<br />
pathologically node positive patients, <strong>with</strong> the clinical node status unknown or negative. It<br />
is anticipated that true Stage IIIA patients (clinical node status negative) have better<br />
survival than the line marked <strong>with</strong> “IIIA*.” Total number of patients was 2,856, and<br />
individual substages were as follows: IA = 266, IB = 754, IIA = 124, IIB = 414, IIC = 84,<br />
IIIA* = 794, IIIB = 143, IV = 277. From AJCC Staging Manual 2009. This refers to stage at<br />
the time of initial diagnosis. I was stage IIB at the time of diagnosis, but I would classify<br />
myself as Stage IV diagnosed on November 24, 2010, about 11 months ago. If I can<br />
survive another 13 months, I will fall into that 20% who survive long term. Those who<br />
survive 2 years almost all are long term survivors.<br />
These patients who survive stage IV undoubtedly have had chemotherapy, so I submit<br />
my thesis that, in spite of what Dr. Nghiem says, chemotherapy can prolong survival in<br />
<strong>Merkel</strong> <strong>Cell</strong> carcinoma.<br />
Al Davis, famed and notorious owner of the Oakland (and Los Angeles) Raiders died last<br />
week. I have seen his death certificate on the internet. He supposedly died of heart<br />
disease and he had a history of cardiomyopathy. He supposedly died of ventricular<br />
fibrillation. He also had <strong>Merkel</strong> <strong>Cell</strong> Carcinoma, and had undergone a procedure for<br />
dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) a few days before his death. I submit that the full story<br />
has not been told. I suspect he died of complications of <strong>Merkel</strong> <strong>Cell</strong> Carcinoma.<br />
Bridge. The Fresno Sectional Bridge Tournament was held last week. I played in all 8<br />
<strong>My</strong> <strong>Battle</strong> <strong>with</strong> <strong>Merkel</strong> <strong>Cell</strong> <strong>Cancer</strong>
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