title: Merkel cell carcinoma occurring in a black woman: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, very aggressive neuroectodermal tumor of the skin. It is typically located on sun-exposed skin and frequently found in white men aged between 70 and 80 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 58-year-old black woman diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma of the posterior face of the right elbow. She had biopsy excision and was lost to follow-up. Four months later, she presented with recurrent disease on the inferior third of the right arm with three ipsilateral axillary lymph node metastases. Amputation of the right arm and ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection were performed, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Six months later, the patient died as a result of respiratory failure caused by lung metastasis. To the best of our knowledge, no specific studies have been done comparing the course and the characteristics of Merkel cell carcinoma in white and black populations, and no similar case has been reported in the literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Merkel cell carcinoma is very rare in black people. As described elsewhere in the literature, our patient had a poor outcome despite radical management. To date, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no comparison of the prognosis of this tumor in white and black populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco. kadiriselma@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abdellah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aissa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Soufiane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berhili
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytopathology, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khmou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Sanaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elmajjaoui
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Tayeb
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kebdani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytopathology, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Basma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Khannoussi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elkacemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benjaafar
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Dark skin; Elbow; Merkel cell carcinoma; Radiotherapy