title: Recurrence of Merkel cell carcinoma in the gastrointestinal tract: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive skin malignancy that arises from primary neural cells and has a tendency for local recurrence and regional lymph node metastases. There are only a few cases in the literature reporting metastases of Merkel cell carcinoma to the gastrointestinal tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a 70 year old Caucasian female with distant history of Merkel cell carcinoma who presented with iron-deficiency anemia. Colonoscopy performed later for the evaluation of anemia revealed 1 cm polyp in ascending colon which turned out to be the recurrence of Merkel cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma to the gastrointestinal tract or any other organ should be considered in patients with a history of Merkel cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Yale New Haven Hospital, 1450 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA. rasikh.tuktamyshov@ynhh.org.
authors.forename: Rasikh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuktamyshov
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yale University, 310 Cedar Street, New Haven, 208023, USA. dhanpat.jain@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Dhanpat
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Yale-New Haven Hospital, 2200 Whitney Avenue, Suite 360, Hamden, New Haven, CT, 06518, USA. pginsburg@gastrocenter.org.
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ginsburg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence