TURKISH JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY
2011 , Vol 26 , Num 2
A case of Merkel cell carcinoma coexistent with pulmonary small cell carcinoma
Zonguldak Karaelmas Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Patoloji Anabilim Dalı, Zonguldak
Merkel cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumor arising usually
on the sun-exposed skin of elderly individuals. A 64-year-old
male patient, who undergone total laryngectomy operation
seven years ago because of squamous cell carcinoma of larynx
and got postoperative radiotherapy applied to the hospital with
a subcostal mass. Histopathologic examination of the mass
revealed tumoral infiltration with cytokeratin-20 expression
that forming sheets and solid nests in subcutaneous tissue. The
diagnosis was Merkel cell carcinoma. A vegetative tumor located
in left main bronchi was observed during synchronously
performed bronchoscopy and multiple biopsies were taken.
Histopathologic diagnosis was pulmonary small cell carcinoma
displaying positive reaction with thyroid transcription factor-
1 without cytokeratin-20 expression. It's extremely rare to
encounter Merkel cell carcinoma coexisting with pulmonary
small cell carcinoma. The current case has special importance
due to being an extremely rare encountered tumor besides confirming
these markers' reliability in distinguishing Merkel cell
carcinoma from pulmonary small cell carcinoma.
Keywords :
Cytokeratin-20; Merkel cell carcinoma; pulmonary small cell carcinoma; thyroid transcription factor-1