title: Detection of Merkel cell polyomavirus and human papillomaviruses in Merkel cell carcinoma combined with squamous cell carcinoma in immunocompetent European patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  About 10% of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) suffer from an associated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In European patients, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is detectable in 60%-88% of the MCC tumors. In combined lesions, MCPyV was not detectable so far.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 2 combined tumors of MCC and SCC for the presence of MCPyV and human papillomavirus (HPV) by polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both lesions, MCPyV DNA was found, and in 1 case, HPV DNA was also detected. This is the first report of a coinfection with HPV and MCPyV in combined MCC-SCC tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results underline the hypothesis of co-cancerogenesis of 2 oncogenic viruses in nonmelanoma skin cancer. Technical reasons and a low viral copy number of MCPyV hampering immunohistochemical detection may be responsible for the negative results in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Klinikum Hildesheim GmbH, Hildesheim, Germany. christina.mitteldorf@klinikum-hildesheim.de
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitteldorf
authors.forename: Kirsten D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Mertz
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fernández-Figueras
authors.forename: Mirka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tronnier
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kempf
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018193:Neoplasms, Complex and Mixed; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D013557:Switzerland; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; C114580:HPV L1 protein, Human papillomavirus; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral