title: Merkel cell carcinoma -- a rarity in the urogenital tract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma -- a rare, aggressive cancer of the skin integument - is being increasingly diagnosed but represents an absolute rarity in the urogenital tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on a 70-year-old man who was referred to us with suspected testicular cancer. The pathology report revealed a metastasized Merkel cell carcinoma. Fulminant disease progression under chemo-therapy (regimen as for small cell lung cancer) resulted in death 5 months later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patient described is considered to be the first to develop testicular metastasis derived from Merkel cell carcinoma. Besides neuroendocrine and epithelial antigen tests, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is a helpful diagnostic tool. New receptor-associated therapies may allow more effective and less toxic treatment modalities in the mostly elderly or immune deficient patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Klinikum Weiden, Germany. bernhard.schwindl@klinikum-weiden.de
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwindl
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giedl
authors.forename: Theodor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klotz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D014565:Urogenital Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary