A Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare aggressive tumor of uncertain origin. The tumor occurres most commonly in the head and neck region of the eldery.

The patient was a 62-year-old female with a reddish nonulcerative movable hard nodule on her left temple area for 2 months. Histopathologically, the tumor cells with large vesicular nuclei and scanty cytoplasm were arranged in trabecular and cord-like pattern in the dermis. The majority of the tumor cells were positive for neuron specific enolase, chromogranin and neurofilament.