Although rare, Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive and increasingly prevalent neuroendocrine cancer of the skin. While current interventions, including surgical resection, radiation, and immunotherapy have been employed in treating many patients, those who remain unresponsive to treatment are met with sparse alternatives and a grim prognosis. For this reason, it is of interest to expand the repertoire of available therapies for MCC patients who remain resistant to current primary interventions. Recently, our improved mechanistic understanding of aberrant cell signaling observed in both MCPyV-positive and -negative MCC has facilitated exploration into several small molecules and inhibitors, among them receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and somatostatin analogs (SSAs), both of which have positively improved response rates and reduced tumor volumes upon application to treatment of MCC. The introduction of such targeted therapies into treatment protocols holds promise for more personalized care tailored towards patients of diverse subtypes, thereby improving outcomes and mitigating tumor burden, especially for treatment-resistant individuals. In this review, we characterize recent findings surrounding targeted treatments that have been applied to MCC and provide an overview of emerging perspectives on translatable options that can be further developed to offer additional therapeutic avenues for patients with the disease.

BACKGROUND: Various bedside imaging devices, such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT), and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) have been applied to quantify and objectively measure functional wound closure, enable noninvasive wound surveillance, and predict defective scar formation early on. Despite their efficacy, a lack of consolidated data on their practical application limits clinical understanding of these emerging technologies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate various noninvasive optical imaging devices for postoperative wound assessment, specifically comparing the advantages, limitations, and practical applicability of each technique in dermatologic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review identified 32 articles discussing the utility of RCM, OCT, LC-OCT, and HFUS for wound and scar assessment. RESULTS: Each of the discussed measures are advantageous to postoperative examination of skin changes, offering insightful information that supports gross clinical inspection and histopathology. Significant trade-offs can be observed between depth penetration and image resolution among each device. CONCLUSION: Application of bedside imaging to evaluate wounds can optimize cosmetic outcomes, predict early scar formation, and decrease recovery duration.