HPV: human papillomavirus MCC: Merkel cell carcinoma MCV: Merkel cell polyomavirus PCR: polymerase chain reaction SCC: squamous cell carcinoma M erkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an uncommon and highly aggressive cutaneous malignancy, usually occurs on the sundamaged skin of the elderly and is characterized by coexpression of neuroendocrine markers and CK20, a discriminant from other types of viscera...

Trabecular carcinoma has been renamed as Merkel cell carcinoma because, ultrastructurally, tumour cells resemble Merkel cells of the skin. Recently, evidence of exocrine (sweat gland) differentiation in some trabecular carcinomas has been reported. These findings raise two possibilities: (1) trabecular carcinomas are a heterogeneous group of lesions; or (2) that trabecular carcinomas are glandu...

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous neuroendocrine malignancy, which usually presents as an asymptomatic, rapidly growing, firm nodule on sun-damaged skin. We present a 93-year-old female who presented with a "cutaneous horn" on the face. On excision, histologic examination revealed a combined squamous cell carcinoma in situ with underlying MCC. Merkel cell polyomavirus immunohistoc...

Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare and aggressive neoplasm. Due to its rarity, therapeutic guidelines are not well established, especially for regionally advanced disease. Articles in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish from the last 20 years were identified in MEDLINE and reviewed. The key word "Merkel" was used for the search, relevant articles were selected, and their referen...

The co-expression of KIT receptor and its ligand stem cell factor (SCF) has been reported in biopsy specimens of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). However, the functional role of SCF/KIT in the pathogenesis of this aggressive tumor has not been elucidated. The present study reports expression and effects of SCF and KIT in the Merkel cell carcinoma cell line MCC-1 in vitro. SCF and KIT were endogenou...

IN 1875, FRIEDRICH Sigmund Merkel (1845-1919) described a unique epidermal nondendritic, nonkeratinocyte cell, which he called a tactile cell (Tastzelle). This cell, now bearing his name, was thought to be a primary touch receptor. Merkel cells are now generally believed to be primary neural cells, found as single cells within the basal layer of the epidermis or grouped together as a component ...

Study Design Case report. Objective Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma with a poor prognosis. Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) is a debilitating disease causing neurologic deficits. The surgical management for MESCC depends on pathology. Methods We report a case of Merkel cell carcinoma of the spine and evaluate the treatment paradigms utilized in...

IL: interleukin JAK: Janus kinase MCC: Merkel cell carcinoma MCPyV: Merkel cell polyomavirus RA: rheumatoid arthritis STAT: signal transducers and activator of transcription INTRODUCTION Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer thought to be derived from Merkel cells present in the cutaneous basement layer; these cells have synaptic contacts with somatosensory aff...

Merkel cell carcinoma is an ultra-rare cutaneous neuroendocrine cancer for which approved treatment options are lacking. To better understand potential actionability, the genomic landscape of Merkel cell cancers was assessed. The molecular aberrations in 17 patients with Merkel cell carcinoma were, on physician request, tested in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) laboratory (F...