27 |The Skin Cancer That Acts Like a Hormone Factory

In this episode of Need to Know Nuggets, host and guest Artemis Kaya — reporting from her dermatology internship at Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Research Hospital — reveal the surprising truth about Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare skin cancer that can secrete hormones. We explore how this aggressive tumor can trigger paraneoplastic syndromes, causing symptoms like flushing, diarrhea, and muscle weakness, and why early detection is critical. Artemis also breaks down the cutting-edge treatments from surgery to immunotherapy that doctors use to fight both the tumor and its hormone-fueled chaos.