Once an MCC diagnosis is made, a sentinel lymph node biopsy as well as other imaging is recommended as a part of the staging work-up needed to determine prognosis and subsequent treatment options. Prevention
Sunlight exposure is thought to be one of the causes of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The World Health Organization, American Academy of Dermatology, and Skin Cancer Foundation recommend the following measures to prevent excessive UV exposure and skin cancer:
Limiting sun exposure between the hours of 10am and 4pm, when UV rays are the strongest
Seeking shade when UV rays are most intense
Wearing sun-protective clothing including a wide brim hat, sunglasses, and tightly woven, loose-fitting clothing
Using sunscreen
Avoiding tanning beds and artificial UV exposure

Treatment
MCC is rare and expedient referral to radiation oncology is critical. MCC will quickly relapse following any attempted excisional biopsy. Surgery
The first step and primary goal of surgical treatment is to obtain negative histologic margins with 1-cm to 2-cm margins. Retrospective analyses of data from the National Comprehensive Database (NCDB) suggest no difference in the overall and relative survival of patients with stage I to II MCC who were treated with wide local excision versus MMS. Radiation
Radiation therapy is the primary management of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The largest series we have are from Australia and have demonstrated that radiotherapy alone achieves equal outcomes with upfront or neoadjuvant surgery followed by radiation therapy. The role of surgery is largely historical and relegated to biopsy.
Notable patients
Avigdor Arikha – Paris-based painter and art historian
David Brudnoy – Boston talk radio host
Al Copeland – New Orleans entrepreneur, powerboat racer
Al Davis – Principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League
Ed Derwinski – U.S. Representative from Illinois and 1st Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Leonard Hirshan – Showbusiness agent and manager. Max Perutz – Nobel Prize–winning chemist
Lindsay Thompson – Former Premier of Victoria, Australia
Joe Zawinul – Jazz-fusion keyboardist and composer
John Fitch – Race car driver and road safety pioneer
Carl Mundy – 30th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps
Geoffrey Penwill Parsons – Pianist
Maria Bueno – Tennis player

References
External links
 Media related to Merkel cell carcinoma at Wikimedia Commons
National Cancer Institute. "Merkel Cell Carcinoma". National Institutes of Health (US). Archived from the original on 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2011-01-20.