Paraneoplastic and metastatic neurologic complications of Merkel cell carcinoma.
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare primary cutaneous neuroendocrine tumor that is locally aggressive and frequently accompanied by distant metastases. Neurologic complications of Merkel cell carcinoma are rare. We describe a 69-year-old man who presented with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and was found to have Merkel cell carcinoma. The paraneoplastic syndrome improved with initial treatment of the malignancy. He subsequently developed a solitary brain metastasis and died of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.
Eggers
S D
SD
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA.
Salomao
D R
DR
Dinapoli
R P
RP
Vernino
S
S
D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D015624:Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis