BackgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cancer with often poor outcomes. Limited biomarkers exist for predicting clinical outcomes. The Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) serum antibody test (AMERK) has shown potential for indicating better recurrence‐free survival in a single‐institution study. The study aimed to evaluate the link between initial AMERK serostatus and survival. Secondary objectives included examining the relationship between initial AMERK titer levels and tumor burden.MethodsA retrospective cohort study across two institutions analyzed patients tested with AMERK within 90 days of MCC diagnosis. Regression models assessed the association of survival outcomes with serostatus, considering various factors. The relationship between AMERK titer and tumor burden indicators was evaluated using ANOVA. Significance testing was exploratory, without a fixed significance level.ResultsOf 261 MCC patients tested, 49.4% were initially seropositive (titer ≥75). Multivariable analysis showed that seropositivity improved recurrence, event‐free, overall, and MCC‐specific survival rates. Strong associations were found between initial AMERK titer and clinical, tumor, and nodal stages, tumor size, and disease extent. Notably, improved survival with seropositivity was observed only in patients with localized disease at initial presentation.ConclusionCirculating antibodies to MCPyV oncoproteins, as indicated by the AMERK test, are linked with better survival in MCC patients with localized disease at presentation. This could enhance patient risk profiling and treatment personalization. The study's retrospective nature and exploratory analysis are key limitations.Plain Language Summary Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a potentially aggressive skin cancer, and tools to predict patient outcomes are limited. A blood test called anti‐Merkel cell panel (AMERK), which checks for specific antibodies related to this cancer, might give us some clues. In this study, we looked at 261 MCC patients who took the AMERK test within 90 days of diagnosis. We found that patients with an initial positive AMERK result tended to have better outcomes, especially if their cancer was in the early stages. However, it is important to note that this study has limitations, including using retrospective data and exploratory analyses.

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默克尔细胞多瘤病毒血清抗体检测的预后价值：双重机构观察研究

背景默克尔细胞癌（MCC）是一种侵袭性癌症，通常预后不佳。用于预测临床结果的生物标志物有限。在单机构研究中，默克尔细胞多瘤病毒 (MCPyV) 血清抗体检测 (AMERK) 已显示出显示更好的无复发生存率的潜力。该研究旨在评估初始 AMERK 血清状态与生存之间的联系。次要目标包括检查初始 AMERK 滴度水平与肿瘤负荷之间的关系。方法跨两个机构的回顾性队列研究分析了 MCC 诊断后 90 天内接受 AMERK 测试的患者。考虑到各种因素，回归模型评估了生存结果与血清状态的关联。使用方差分析评估AMERK滴度和肿瘤负荷指标之间的关系。显着性测试是探索性的，没有固定的显着性水平。结果 在接受测试的 261 名 MCC 患者中，49.4% 最初呈血清阳性（效价≥75）。多变量分析表明，血清阳性可提高复发率、无事件生存率、总体生存率和 MCC 特异性生存率。研究发现初始 AMERK 滴度与临床、肿瘤和淋巴结分期、肿瘤大小和疾病程度之间存在很强的相关性。值得注意的是，仅在初次就诊时患有局部疾病的患者中观察到血清阳性的生存率提高。 结论 AMERK 测试表明，针对 MCPyV 癌蛋白的循环抗体与就诊时患有局部疾病的 MCC 患者更好的生存率相关。这可以增强患者风险分析和治疗个性化。该研究的回顾性和探索性分析是主要局限性。 简单语言总结 默克尔细胞癌 (MCC) 是一种潜在的侵袭性皮肤癌，预测患者预后的工具有限。 一项名为抗默克尔细胞检测（AMERK）的血液检测可以检查与这种癌症相关的特异性抗体，可能会给我们一些线索。 在这项研究中，我们观察了 261 名 MCC 患者，他们在诊断后 90 天内接受了 AMERK 测试。 我们发现，最初 AMERK 结果呈阳性的患者往往有更好的结果，特别是如果他们的癌症处于早期阶段。 然而，值得注意的是，这项研究存在局限性，包括使用回顾性数据和探索性分析。