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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffMerkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive cancer and complications are not uncommon:
- Metastasis. Even with treatment, up to half the people with Merkel cell carcinoma eventually develop cancer that spreads beyond the skin. Merkel cell carcinoma tends to travel first to nearby lymph nodes and then may spread to your liver, bone, lungs or brain, where it can interfere with the functioning of these organs. Cancer that has metastasized is more difficult to treat and can be fatal.
- Treatment side effects. Although radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be effective in halting cancer growth, these therapies can also kill healthy cells and cause complications.
