The Touchy Topic of the Touch Cell: A Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma

The patient is a healthy 59-year-old woman with a 6-month history of a growing mass on the lateral aspect of her left lower leg, which was initially thought to be an infection from a cat scratch. It did not respond to antibiotics and enlarged. A punch biopsy showed high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma consistent with Merkel cell carcinoma; it was CK-20 positive, CK-7 negative, and chromogranin and synaptophysin positive. On clinical examination, there was a 4  × 2-cm lobulated mass on the lateral aspect of the left lower leg, with 2 satellite nodules located anterior and posterior to the main mass.
Source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Feature Source Type: research