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It is common for Merkel cell carcinoma to recur (come back) after it has been treated.
Source: Merkel Cell Carcinoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 16, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma is cancer that has come back after it has been treated. If Merkel cell carcinoma comes back, it may come back in the skin, lymph nodes, or other parts of the body. Tests will be done to help determine where the cancer has returned. The type of treatment for recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma will depend on where it has come back.
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Learn more in Recurrent Cancer: When Cancer Comes Back.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice