CLINICAL CASES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2001 December;136(6):453-5

Copyright © 2001 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Primary neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma of the eyelid in a young woman. Report of a case

Miracco F., Miracco C. *, Schürfeld K. *, D’Aniello C. **, Grimaldi L. **, Pirtoli L. ***

From the Dipartimento di Scienze Oftalmologiche * Institute of Pathological Anatomy and Istology ** Unit of Plastic Surgery *** Institute of Radiotherapy University of the Study, Siena

Primary neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma (MCC) of the skin is an infrequent tumor which usually affects elderly patients. The histological and immunohistochemical features of a MCC occurred in a healthy 31-year-old woman are described. Sun exposure, immunosuppression, and chronic arsenicism are known to play a role in the genesis of MCC. Neither sun damage, nor arsenical exposure or immunosuppression were demonstrable in our case. Tumor cells strongly expressed p53, myc-2 and Bcl-2 proteins. The hypothesis that tumor growth may have been promoted by a deregulation of p-53, myc-2 and bcl-2 genes, is suggested.