title: Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin. Treatment of primary, recurrent and metastatic disease: review of clinical cases.
abstract: The clinical features of 10 cases of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin (Merker cell tumor) are reported. This cancer arises in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues of elderly individuals. Natural history is characterized by local recurrences (30%), regional lymph node metastases (65%) and distant metastases (40%). Surgery is elective treatment, chemotherapy and radiotherapy resulted only to short-term palliative response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Queirolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gipponi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peressini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raposio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guenzi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sertoli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cafiero
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*