title: Intracranial spread of Merkel cell carcinoma to the cerebellopontine angle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly malignant, and aggressive dermal neuroendocrine neoplasm that rarely metastasizes to the central nervous system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the current literature regarding treatment of neurometastatic MCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case of a 78-year-old male with intracranial extra-axial metastatic MCC involving the left cerebellopontine angle is presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A retrosigmoid craniectomy was performed with complete resection of the metastatic focus. Adjuvant treatment included whole-brain radiation therapy followed by etoposide and carboplatin chemotherapy. Seven months postoperatively, the patient was free of metastatic disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical resection should be performed when feasible to prevent local recurrence. This may be followed by early adjuvant fractionated whole-brain radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy; however, no clinical trials have been performed to demonstrate a survival benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuro-oncology and Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Research Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seaman
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brem
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fromm
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staller
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCardle
authors.forename: Surbhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003399:Craniotomy; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin