title: Primary undifferentiated small cell carcinoma (Merkel cell carcinoma) in a patient after heart transplantation--case report.
abstract: Here we report a case of a 48-year-old man after heart transplantation in whom two years after the procedure an appendage germ tumour was diagnosed and a year after its removal in the same area a primary undifferentiated small cell carcinoma (Merkel cell carcinoma) with metastases to the axillary lymph nodes was detected. The diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining showing a typical perinuclear expression of cytokeratin 20 with the absence of reactivity with wide spectrum cytokeratin and the presence of neuroendocrine markers of neurone-specific enolase and chromogranin. Primary undifferentiated small cell carcinoma occurs more frequently in patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment as compared with a general population and occurs much more frequently in those below 50 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumour Pathology, Centre of Oncology, Gliwice.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maksymiuk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wygoda
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakliczyński
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paleń
mesh_terms: D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053554:Keratin-20; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C507499:KRT20 protein, human; D053554:Keratin-20