Merkel cell carcinoma of the retroperitoneum with no identifiable primary site.
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an extremely rare primary neuroendocrine neoplasm of the skin that shows aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 67-year-old male with a Merkel cell carcinoma which initially presented itself as a large retroperitoneal mass. Pathological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed tissue consistent with neuroendocrine carcinoma. Despite complete medical workup, no other primary MCC could be detected. While being an atypical presentation, the tumor mass showed an excellent response to the combination of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.
Department of Clinical Oncology A, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto Primo, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Daniele
D
Rossini
Salvatore
S
Caponnetto
Vittoria
V
Lapadula
Lucilla
L
De Filippis
Gabriella
G
Del Bene
Alessandra
A
Emiliani
Flavia
F
Longo