My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer

DNA present in ~80% MCC tumors MCPyV proteins are present and persistently
expressed in > 50% of the tumors ~60% of US population has specific antibodies to the
MCPyV capsid protein (Carter JJ et al., J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009) ~90% of MCC patients
are sero-positive to the MCPyV capsid protein supporting a continuing role for this new
virus in most MCC tumors Mutation pattern in the large T oncoprotein are highly
suggestive of a role in this cancer (N terminal – pro-cell cycle portion is conserved: C
terminal – genomic instability generating region is deleted in most tumors) (Shuda et al.,
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008) Additional References: 1. Garneski KM, Decaprio JA,
Nghiem P. Does a new polyomavirus contribute to Merkel cell carcinoma? Genome Biol
2008; 9(6):228. Click here for a PDF.
A review of polyomavirus biology and its possible relation to cancer.
2. Garneski KM, Warcola AH, Feng Q, Kiviat N, Leonard JH, Nghiem P. Merkel Cell
Polyomavirus Is More Frequently Present in North American than Australian Merkel Cell
Carcinoma Tumors. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2009; 129, 246–248. Click here
for a PDF.
North American and Australian tumor samples were evaluated for presence of MCPyV
and a higher incidence in North American samples were positive for MCPyV when
compared to Australia, suggesting a possible strain variant.
3. Feng H, Shuda M, Chang Y, Moore P. Clonal Integration of a Polyomavirus in Human
Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Science 2008; 319:1096-1100
A technique called digital transcriptome subtraction (DTS) was used to identify a new
virus, which is a previously unknown polyomavirus that we call Merkel cell polyomavirus
(MCV or MCPyV). MCPyV sequences were detected in 8 of 10 (80%) MCC tumors (lower
incidence in non-MCC tumors).
4. Carter J, Paulson K, Wipf G, Miranda D, Madeleine M, Johnson L, Lemos B, Lee S,
Warcola A, Iyer J, Nghiem P, Galloway D. Association of Merkel Cell
Polyomavirus–Specific Antibodies With Merkel Cell Carcinoma Journal of the National
Cancer Institute2009; [Epub ahead of print]. Click here for a PDF.
Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) has been detected in approximately 75% of patients
with the rare skin cancer Merkel cell carcinoma. We investigated the prevalence of
antibodies against MCPyV in the general population and the association between these
antibodies and Merkel cell carcinoma.
Posted by David Shuster at 02:43PM (-07:00)
First Round of Chemotherapy, Observations After
Two weeks
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A side effect of my chemo has been a dry mouth, loss of taste, and a lack of desire to
drink much fluid. I began to note my bowel movements resembled small marbles, which
passed without difficulty. However, for a few days prior to last Saturday, (May 7), nothing.
No urge to go, no abdominal discomfort. I began to take oat bran, Metamucil and Colace.
Still, nothing. Saturday morning, I finally felt the urge to go. Into the bathroom, seated on
the toilet, and the struggle began. I am trying to push out a solid rock, hard as steel,
painful and immovable. With due respect to all women who have delivered a baby, this
must be as close as I can ever come to that. I wanted an epidural. I would have cheerfully
done an episiotomy on myself if I could. It got to a position, halfway in, halfway out, and
got stuck. I trained in ob/gyn as a resident for 6 months. I wanted to try obstetrical
My Battle with Merkel Cell Cancer
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