title: Primitive eyelid Merkel carcinoma.
abstract: Primitive Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) of the eyelid is a malign cutaneous neuro-endocrine tumour that originates in Merkel cells; which are situated along the border of the eyelid between the eyelashes. It is a rare, very aggressive and metastasising tumour. The histo-pathological diagnosis may require an immuno-histochemical and ultrastructural analysis. The authors describe the clinical case of a 65-year-old woman with palpebral MCC that appeared suddenly over a period of three months. The correct therapeutic strategy for Merkel cell cancer is a radical, aggressive and early removal of the tumour at its initial stage, in order to reduce the risk of a distant recurrence and to improve the survival rate. The tumour must be resected with a broad safety margin and radiotherapy may be required post surgery.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, Ophthalmology Multi-Speciality Department, Institute for Treatment and Research "Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laborante
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Department, Ophthalmology Multi-Speciality Department, Institute for Treatment and Research "Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005142:Eyelid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery