title: Rapidly growing gastric metastasis of Merkel cell carcinoma, an unusual cause of melena.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon, highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin carcinoma that has a tendency for local recurrence and metastatic disease. We report a rare case of recurrent melena in a 77-year-old Caucasian male. Three years earlier, the patient had undergone a radical resection of a para-umbilical MCC. A repeat esophagogastroduodenoscopy proved necessary to identify rapidly proliferating gastric metastasis of MCC as the cause of bleeding.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hulstaert
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mielants
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Praet
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Kock
authors.affiliation: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lambrecht
authors.affiliation: b Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Gertjan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rasschaert
authors.affiliation: b Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Belle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008551:Melena / Q000209:etiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms
keywords: Gastrointestinal haemorrhage; Gastroscopy; Melena; Merkel cell carcinoma; Metastasis; Stomach