Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39373930›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Antibody in Tumor and Plasma Specimens in Patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Ryan K Schmocker, Laurentia Nodit, Andrew J Ward, James M Lewis, James M McLoughlin, Laura M Enomoto

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Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ryan K SchmockerUniversity Surgical Oncology, UT Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Laurentia NoditUniversity Pathologists, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Andrew J WardUniversity Surgical Oncology, UT Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
James M LewisUniversity Surgical Oncology, UT Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
James M McLoughlinUniversity Surgical Oncology, UT Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Laura M EnomotoUniversity Surgical Oncology, UT Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA. lenomoto@utmck.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1100-8967

Funding

MASTT MASTT Grant at the University of Tennessee Medical
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) infection. MCPyV antibodies (MCPyV-Ab) in plasma correlate with survival, while MCPyV-Ab within the tumor has never been investigated. This study evaluated plasma MCPyV-Ab and tumor MCPyV-Ab titers to evaluate their role in outcomes and prognostication.

methodsA single-institution, prospective database was retrospectively reviewed for patients diagnosed with MCC from 2014 to 2021. MCPyV-Ab plasma and tumor titers, as well as patient and treatment factors, were collected. Two-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were examined based on MCPyV-Ab presence in tumor.

resultsForty patients were identified, with a median follow-up of 27.6 months. Patients were stratified into four groups based on the presence of MCPyV-Ab in plasma (P+, P-) and tumor (T+, T-). Most patients (60.0%) were P-/T-. Of the remaining patients, 22.5% were P+/T+, 12.5% were P-/T+, and 5.0% were P+/T-. Two-year DFS of the P-/T- group was 16.6 months, which was not different from the other groups (p = 0.79). Two-year OS of P-/T- was 18.3 months, and 2-year OS of P-/T+ was 28.1 months, which was similar between groups (p = 0.80).

conclusionsMost patients P+ for MCPyV had antibody-positive tumors (T+), and P- patients were also T-; however, there was a subset of patients where plasma and tumor antibody findings were incongruent. Patients with MCPyV-Ab in either plasma or tumor had a trend toward improved 2-year DFS and OS, but was limited by a small cohort. This study offers an exploratory investigation into the relationship between plasma and tumor antibodies to MCPyV on which to base future work.

Indexed as

Antibodies, ViralCarcinoma, Merkel CellMerkel cell polyomavirusPolyomavirus InfectionsSkin NeoplasmsTumor Virus InfectionsAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesAntibodies, ViralMerkel cell antibodyMerkel cell carcinomaMerkel cell polyomavirus

Identifiers

PMID39373930

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.