Seed and soil? - Pharyngeal Merkel cell carcinoma after radiotherapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

We present a 66-year-old male treated with chemo-radiation for T3N2cM0 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) six years before he was diagnosed with MCC isolated to the radiated laryngopharynx. Mucosal MCC is rare and radiation-induced MCC has been hypothesized to occur in previously radiated tissue but, never before to the laryngopharynx. Implications regarding cancer biology and management is focused with discussion on relevant advances in pathologic assessment and immunotherapy.
Source: American Journal of Otolaryngology - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research