{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T21:14:57Z","timestamp":1767993297630,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,15]],"date-time":"2023-06-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1686787200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cancers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly malignant skin tumor that occurs mainly in elderly and\/or immunosuppressed patients. MCC prognosis has been significantly improved by the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Recently, blood-based biomarkers have been investigated that can potentially predict the outcome of MCC patients. In this context, parameters of liver scores have not yet been investigated. We retrospectively recruited 47 MCC patients with available relevant laboratory data at primary diagnosis. At this time, we investigated blood-based scores as follows: model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), aspartate aminotransferase\/platelet count ratio index (APRI), and the alanine transaminase\/aspartate aminotransferase ratio (De Ritis ratio). MCC relapse was negatively correlated with the De Ritis score (r = \u22120.3, p = 0.024) and positively correlated with the MELD score (r = 0.3, p = 0.035). Moreover, MCC-specific death positively correlated with CCI score (r = 0.4, p = 0.01) and MELD score (r = 0.4, p = 0.003). In multivariable analysis, the MELD score remained in the regression model as significant independent predictor for MCC relapse (hazard ratio: 1.16 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.29; p = 0.008) and MCC-specific death (hazard ratio: 1.2 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.3; p = 0.009). We observed for the first time that the MELD score appears to independently predict both MCC relapse and MCC-specific death. These results should be further investigated in larger prospective studies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers15123195","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,15]],"date-time":"2023-06-15T04:16:57Z","timestamp":1686802617000},"page":"3195","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Correlates with Disease Relapse and Death of Patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Thilo","family":"Gambichler","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology and Phlebology, Christian Hospital Unna, 59423 Unna, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"J\u00fcrgen C.","family":"Becker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Translational Skin Cancer Research, DKTK Partner Site Essen\/D\u00fcsseldorf, West German Cancer Center, Dermatology, University Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany"},{"name":"German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Susok","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Klinikum Dortmund gGmbH, 44137 Dortmund, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Riina","family":"K\u00e4pynen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"},{"name":"International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa\/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6853-0743","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nessr","family":"Abu Rached","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"},{"name":"International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa\/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17077","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2017.77","article-title":"Merkel cell carcinoma","volume":"3","author":"Becker","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. 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