Intraepidermal and dermal Merkel cell carcinoma with squamous cell carcinoma in situ: a case report with review of literature. uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare aggressive primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma, occurs on sun-damaged skin, especially in the elderly. Its unique co-expression of cytokeratin 20 (CK20) and neuroendocrine markers, including neuron-specific enolase (NSE), is diagnostic. Most MCCs are located in the dermis, rarely has an intraepidermal component been reported. We report a case of MCC with an intraepidermal component admixed with squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS). We were able to identify the differences in the immunohistochemical expression pattern between that of the intraepidermal and the dermal components. Most intraepidermal neoplastic cells of MCC in this case showed a less intense immunoreactivity to CK20 and NSE compared to that of dermal neoplastic cells. This case reports an unusual occurrence of combined SCC and MCC that shows both intraepidermal and dermal components.

publication date

  • August 21, 2009

Research

keywords

  • Carcinoma in Situ
  • Carcinoma, Merkel Cell
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
  • Dermis
  • Epidermis
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary
  • Skin Neoplasms

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 77953424378

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2009.01407.x

PubMed ID

  • 19702685

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 37

issue

  • 8