Ann Dermatol.  2002 Jun;14(2):121-123. 10.5021/ad.2002.14.2.121.

Metastatic Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung Mimicking a Merkel Cell Carcinoma

• Lee JS
• Chung WS
• Kim DH
• Lee JS
• Kim SC

• KMID: 2158731
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2002.14.2.121

Abstract

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung is a newly recognized entity of pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma. Histologically, it is very difficult to differentiate LCNEC from other pulmonary carcinomas and the prognosis is significantly poor. The cutaneous metastasis of LCNEC of the lung shares some features with Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin in light microscopy and yet it is negatively stained with cytokeratin 20. We report a case of cutaneous metastasis of LCNEC of the lung, previously misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Our patient showed a poor response to the chemotherapy and also revealed a brain metastasis on follow-up brain CT scan.

Keyword

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; Cutaneous metastasis

MeSH Terms

Brain
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell*
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Drug Therapy
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Keratin-20
Lung*
Microscopy
Neoplasm Metastasis
Prognosis
Skin
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Keratin-20