MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA

Keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma, MMC, diagnosis, treatment, radiotherapy, classification.

Abstract

In XXI century Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a still very rare form of the skin cancer with an aggressive behavior. We present a case of 77-year-old female patient with a tumor with bluish skin, approx. 2 cm diameter, hard texture palpation of the right zygomatic area of the face. There were no enlarged lymph nodes in the head or neck. Tumor was surgically excised. The result of the histopathological examination including immunohistochemical tests allowed to diagnose Merkel cell carcinoma. After 6 months tumor recurrence was found. The right cheek tumor and the right lymphatic system of the neck was removed and radiotherapy was carried out. In  imaging examination no pathological changes were found. The patient have complained about dry eye syndrome as side effect o treatment. A literature review concerning risk factors, diagnostic difficulties, classification and treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma is presented and discussed. Randomized studies are required to clarify  diagnostic procedures, prognostic factors and  treatment in clinical stages of the disease

References

Allen, P. J., Bowne, W. B., Jaques, D. P., Brennan, M. F., Busam, K., and Coit, D. G. (2005). Merkel cell carcinoma: prognosis and treatment of patients from a single institution. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23 (10), 2300-2309. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.02.329. [in English].

Buel, J. F., Trofe, J., Hanaway, M. J. (2002). Immunosuppression and Merkel cell cancer. Transplatation Proceedins, 34 (5), 1780-1781. DOI: 10.1016/S0041-1345(02)03065-8. [in English].

DeCaprio, J. A. (2017). Merkel cell polyomavirus and Merkel cell carcinoma. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 19, 372, 20160276. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0276. [in English].

Głombiowska, M, Imko-Walczuk, B, .Jaśkiewicz, J. (2010). Rak z komórek Merkla, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem chorych leczonych immunosupresyjnie. Nowotwory, (60) 6, 554–559. [in English].

Gupta, S. G., Wang, L. C., Peñas, P. F., et al. (2006). Sentinel lymph node biopsy for evaluation and treatment of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma: The Dana-Farber experience and meta-analysis of the literature, Arch. Dermatol.,142, 685-690. [in English].

Hawryluk, E. B., O'Regan, K. N., Sheehy, N., et al. (2013). Positron emission tomography / computed tomography imaging in Merkel cell carcinoma: a study of 270 scans in 97 patients at the Dana-Farber / Brigham and Women's Cancer Center. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 68, 592-599. [in English].

Lemos, B. D., Storer, B. E., Iyer, J. G., et al. (2010). Pathologic nodal evaluation improves prognostic accuracy in Merkel cell carcinoma: analysis of 5823 cases as the basis of the first consensus staging system. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 63,751-761. [in English].

Medina-Franco, H., Urist, M. M., Fiveash, J., et al. (2001). Multimodality treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma: case series and literature review of 1024 cases. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 8, 204-208. [in English].

Miller, N. J., Bhatia, S., Parvathaneni, U., et al. (2013). Emerging and mechanism-based therapies for recurrent or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Current Treatment Options in Oncology, 14 (2), 249-263. DOI: 10.1007/s11864-013-0225-9. [in English].

Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, E., Bruzgielewicz, A. (2003). Rak z komórek Merkla. Magazyn Otolaryngologiczny, 2, 42 - 44. [in Polish].

Poulsen, M. (2004). Merkel-cell carcinoma of the skin. Lancet Oncology, 5 (10), 593-599. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(04)01593-1. [in English].

Siva, S., Byrne, K., Seel, M., et al. (2013). 18F-FDG PET provides high-impact and powerful prognostic stratification in the staging of Merkel cell carcinoma: a 15-year institutional experience. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 54, 1223-1229. [in English].

Tang, C. K., Toker, C. (1978). Trabecular carcinoma of the skin: an ultrastructural study. Cancer. 42, 2311-2321. [in English].

Thakuria M, LeBoeuf, N. R., Rabinowits, G. (2014). Update on the biology and clinical management of Merkel cell carcinoma. American Society of Clinical Oncology. Education Book 34, 405-10. DOI: 10.14694/ EdBook_AM. 2014. 34. e405. [in English].

Toker, C. (1972). Trabecular carcinoma of the skin. Arch. Dermatol, 105,107-110. [in English].

Williams, R. H., Morgan, M. B., Mathieson, I. M. et al. (1998). Merkel cell carcinoma in a renal transplant patient: increased incidence? Transplantation, 65 (10), 1396-1397. DOI: 10.1097/00007890-199805270-00019. [in English].

Ziółkowska, E., Pietrusińska, E., Biedka, M. i wsp. (2008). Rak z komórek Merkla– neuroendokrynny rak skóry, postępowanie. Onkologia w Praktyce Klinicznej, 4, 141-144. [in Polish].


Abstract views: 337
PDF Downloads: 180
Published
2019-11-26
How to Cite
Nocoń, K., Majewski, J., Kurek, J., Stojiljković, G., & Stadnicki, A. (2019). MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA. Scientific Journal of Polonia University, 36(5), 118-123. https://doi.org/10.23856/3614