The natural history and management of Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin: A review of 22 patients treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital

Savage, Philip; Constenla, D.; Fisher, Cyril; Thomas, J.M.; Gore, Martin

doi:10.1016/s0936-6555(97)80073-8

Cited by 46 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…2,4,5,7,10 In humans, neuroendocrine carcinomas are regarded as relatively high-grade malignant tumors with frequent metastasis to regional lymph nodes. 11,13 A recent study reported that most human Merkel cell carcinomas contain DNA sequences from a newly identified Merkel cell polyomavirus. 9 Such etiologic associations have not been implicated in domestic animals.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multicentric Cutaneous Neuroendocrine (Merkel Cell) Carcinoma in a Dog

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Multicentric cutaneous neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma was diagnosed in a 5-year-old castrated male Keeshond dog with multiple firm nodular cutaneous masses. The neoplastic tissue locally effaced the periadnexal and deep dermis and consisted of densely cellular confluent clusters of round to polygonal cells supported by a delicate fibrovascular stroma. The cells were moderately immunoreactive with chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and cytokeratin. Ultrastructurally, the cells had characteristic membrane-bound dense-core neuroendocrine granules approximately 120 nm in diameter and randomly dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. Effacement of dermal structures and multicentric distribution suggested low-grade malignant phenotype. These findings contrast with the typical benign behavior of canine cutaneous neuroendocrine tumors.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multicentric Cutaneous Neuroendocrine (Merkel Cell) Carcinoma in a Dog

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Affected patients have a high risk of disease progression: early local recurrences occur in about 33% of cases, and approximately 50% of patients will develop regional lymph node metastases with eventual death due to systemic dissemination in more than 33% of cases. [3][4] Because of its rarity, prognostic factors have not been fully established. However, cumulative data from small series have suggested that stage, size of the primary tumor, and gender may have an influence on survival, whereas the prognostic impact of anatomic location and age are more controversial.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Expression and prognostic significance of matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin

et al. 2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma (PNC) of the skin is the currently favored designation for the tumor originally described by Toker in 1972 as trabecular carcinoma, 1 and subsequently termed Merkel cell carcinoma on the basis of the electron microscopic findings of neurosecretory granules. 2 PNC is a rare, highly malignant neuroendocrine tumor that occurs most commonly in elderly Caucasian patients. Clinically, it usually appears as a rapidly growing nodule on sundamaged skin of the head and neck region and on the extremities, often being indistinguishable from other cutaneous neoplasms on clinical grounds alone. Affected patients have a high risk of disease progression: early local recurrences occur in about 33% of cases, and approximately 50% of patients will develop regional lymph node metastases with eventual death due to systemic dissemination in more than 33% of cases. [3][4] Because of its rarity, prognostic factors have not been fully established. However, cumulative data from small series have suggested that stage, size of the primary tumor, and gender may have an influence on survival, whereas the prognostic impact of anatomic location and age are more controversial. [5][6][7][8] Although various factors can determine the aggressiveness of PNCs, the capacity for invasion and metastasis of tumor cells, involving the degradation of components of basement membranes and the extracellular matrix, is certainly important. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent proteolytic enzymes 9,10 involved in the degradation of different components of the extracellular matrix. At present, there is considerable evidence indicating that MMPs play important roles in local invasion and tumor spread. [10][11][12] The family of human MMPs comprises several members classified into 4 main classes according to their structure and in vitro substrate specificity: collagenases, gelatinases, stromelysins, and membrane-type MMPs [11][12] (Table 1).Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are the major natural inhibitors of MMPs. To date, 4 types of TIMPs (TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, and TIMP-4) have been recognized. The TIMPs are secreted proteins that complex MMPs and are involved in the inhibition of individual MMPs and regulation of their activity. 13 Indeed, it is thought that the balance between activated MMPs and TIMPs determines the

show abstract

“…MCC in general has a poor prognosis with a median survival of 33 to 47 months and has a high incidence of locoregional recurrence and systemic spread 6 . Hematogenous and/or distant lymphatic metastases ultimately occur in one-third of patients and most frequently involve liver, bone, brain, lung and skin, although metastasis to nearly every organ has been reported.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%