Merkel cell carcinoma metastasis and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans presenting as a collision tumour: a case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Merkel cell carcinoma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are two very rare neoplasms. The simultaneous occurrence of two different tumour entities at the same anatomical site, collision tumours, is a rare phenomenon.

CASE PRESENTATION:

We present a rare case of a 74-year-old woman with a previous history of a recurrent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans presenting with a metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Further investigation revealed a collision tumour of a metastatic lesion of the Merkel cell carcinoma within a tumour relapse of a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

CONCLUSION:

Synchronous occurrence of two different tumour entities is extremely rare and has not been described for Merkel cell carcinoma and dermatofibrosarcoma. Merkel cell carcinoma, a tumour of the elderly or immunocompromised patients, leads to early metastasis and can be expected to be the limiting factor for prognoses.

• Authors: Daniel-Johannes Tilkorn, Marcus Lehnhardt, Jörg Hauser, Adrien Daigler, Heinz Homann, Hans Steinau, Cornelius Kuhnen
• Journal: Journal of medical case reports (J Med Case Rep) Vol. 3 Pg. 7493 (Jun 30 2009) ISSN: 1752-1947 [Print] England
• PMID: 19830210 (Publication Type: Journal Article)