Ann Dermatol.  2008 Jun;20(2):90-93. 10.5021/ad.2008.20.2.90.

A Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Treated with Wide Excision and Adjuvant Radiotherapy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. miumiu@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare aggressive primary cutaneous neuroendocrine skin cancer arising from the basal epidermis. Although the majority of patients with non-melanoma skin cancer are cured by local treatment, patients with Merkel cell carcinoma have a poor outcome characterized by locoregional and distant relapse. No standard treatment protocol for Merkel cell carcinoma exists. But, there is mounting evidence that combined treatment, incorporating adjuvant radiotherapy, improves the outcome (locoregional control and disease-free survival) compared with surgery alone in most patients. Herein we report a case of Merkel cell carcinoma treated with wide local excision and post-operative radiotherapy.

Keyword

Adjuvant radiotherapy; Merkel cell carcinoma; Wide local excision

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Merkel Cell
Clinical Protocols
Epidermis
Humans
Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
Recurrence
Skin Neoplasms

Figure

  • Fig. 1 An erythematous mass on the left upper arm.

  • Fig. 2 The tumor cells with anastomosing and interdissecting trabecular arrangement in the dermis (A: H&E, ×40). The tumor cells show round to oval vesicular nuclei and scanty cytoplasm and inconspicuous nucleoli, evenly dispersed chromatin (B: H&E, ×400).

  • Fig. 3 Tumor cells showed perinuclear dot-like staining with CK20 (×400).


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