My husband was diagnosed with stage 3B merkel cell on his nose .....they removed it in July 2021 with complications due to heart issues landing him on Life support ...but after 1 month in the hospital he was doing well. He then had 30 lymph nodes on Right side of his neck removed.... 1 showing merkel cell as well.
followed by 30 rounds of radiation .....then in Sept 2023 the seen on CT scan showed an enlarged lymph node in thoracic region (Left / centre towards back of Stomach) encasing the descending Aorta.....they watched that too long ....it went from 2.4 cm to 12.7 cm in 5 months ...had a biopsy that confirmed Pathological Merkel Cell ....which again was 30 rounds of radiation ....followed by at present ....Avelumab ....Immune therapy ....4 months following completion of radiation with 3 months of Avelumab the tumor has shrunk to 5.4 cm ...but now that the merkel cell has spread to a distant location ...I believe it is now Stage 4 ...and I am really worried...since Merkel cell is aggressive.....my sister in law is stage 4 Melanoma and My brother in law is stage 3 lung cancer ....all siblings ..to my husband who also survived prostate cancer 12 yrs ago ....sorry for the rambling and so much to take in .