Epidemiological Insights in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Across Europe: A Systematic Literature Review
Author(s)
Ankita Sood, PharmD, Rubal Arora, M.Pharm, Barinder Singh, RPh, Gagandeep Kaur, M.Pharm.
Pharmacoevidence Pvt. Ltd., Mohali, India.
Pharmacoevidence Pvt. Ltd., Mohali, India.
OBJECTIVES: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive carcinoma of cutaneous neuroendocrine cells, associated with a high risk of local recurrence and distant metastases. The current systematic literature review aims to understand the epidemiology of MCC across Europe.
METHODS: Electronic databases such as Embase® and Medline® were searched using the combination of relevant keywords for epidemiology and MCC. English language articles with outcomes specific to epidemiology were included from the last 10 years. The standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) compliant two independent review and quality control process was followed during data collection.
RESULTS: A total of 23 studies across Europe and the UK were included. Globally, incidence rates (IR) of MCC have increased with estimated annual percentage changes of 2.0-21.0% in men and 1.6-27.2% in women, with modest rate differences between 1995 and 2007 (men: 0.8-2.2; women: 0.2-1.7 per 100,000 person-years). In the UK, IR ranged from 0.1-0.2 in England (2010) to 1.38 per 100,000 (2013). In Spain, MCC incidence increased from 0.11 (1994-2004) to 0.32 (2012-2016) per 100,000, whereas France demonstrated a four-fold increase between 1985-2013, reaching a global-standardized IR of 0.17. Germany reported higher IR in 2008-2021, with age-standardized IR of 0.52 (men) and 0.38 (women). In Italy, crude IR increased from 0.28 (2001-2005) to 1.15 (2006-2021), showing an almost two-fold rise, while mortality remained low (0.04 per 100,000). Although some regions like England and France report slightly higher female incidence, most countries, including Germany and Spain, show rising male incidence.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide an inclusive overview of the epidemiology of MCC across Europe over the past decades, with notable geographic and gender-based variations. These findings underscore the growing burden of MCC, the need for enhanced awareness, and the importance of early detection to inform healthcare planning and targeted interventions.
METHODS: Electronic databases such as Embase® and Medline® were searched using the combination of relevant keywords for epidemiology and MCC. English language articles with outcomes specific to epidemiology were included from the last 10 years. The standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) compliant two independent review and quality control process was followed during data collection.
RESULTS: A total of 23 studies across Europe and the UK were included. Globally, incidence rates (IR) of MCC have increased with estimated annual percentage changes of 2.0-21.0% in men and 1.6-27.2% in women, with modest rate differences between 1995 and 2007 (men: 0.8-2.2; women: 0.2-1.7 per 100,000 person-years). In the UK, IR ranged from 0.1-0.2 in England (2010) to 1.38 per 100,000 (2013). In Spain, MCC incidence increased from 0.11 (1994-2004) to 0.32 (2012-2016) per 100,000, whereas France demonstrated a four-fold increase between 1985-2013, reaching a global-standardized IR of 0.17. Germany reported higher IR in 2008-2021, with age-standardized IR of 0.52 (men) and 0.38 (women). In Italy, crude IR increased from 0.28 (2001-2005) to 1.15 (2006-2021), showing an almost two-fold rise, while mortality remained low (0.04 per 100,000). Although some regions like England and France report slightly higher female incidence, most countries, including Germany and Spain, show rising male incidence.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide an inclusive overview of the epidemiology of MCC across Europe over the past decades, with notable geographic and gender-based variations. These findings underscore the growing burden of MCC, the need for enhanced awareness, and the importance of early detection to inform healthcare planning and targeted interventions.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EPH76
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Real World Data & Information Systems, Study Approaches
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
Oncology