The Korean Journal of Cytopathology (대한세포병리학회지)

The Korean Society for Cytopathology (대한세포병리학회)
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Touch Imprint Cytology of Merkel Cell Carcinoma - A Case Report -

Merkel 세포 암종의 압착도말 세포소견 -1예 보고-

  • Kim, Lucia (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine) ;
  • Park, In-Suh (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine) ;
  • Han, Jee-Young (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Joon-Mee (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine) ;
  • Chu, Young-Che (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Suk-Jin (Department of Pathology, Inha University, College of Medicine)
  • 김루시아 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 박인서 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 한지영 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 김준미 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 주영채 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 최석진 (인하대학교 의과대학 병리학교실)
  • Published : 2005.11.30
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Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma which commonly presents as a skin nodule, and can develop into regional lymph node metastases, as well as spread systematically. Here, we describe the cytological features of a touch imprint of MCC that arose on the face of a 62-year-old female. This touch imprint was acquired from an incisional biopsy specimen which had been submitted for frozen section. The touch preparation produced a highly cellular imprint of loosely cohesive groups of small- to medium-sized malignant cells exhibiting uniform round to oval nuclei, delicate nuclear membranes, fine chromatin, small nucleoli, and scanty cytoplasm, with occasional paranuclear button-like inclusions. We applied cytokeratin 20 to the touch imprint for immunochemistry, allowing us to visualize the tumor cells with paranuclear dot-like positivity. Both the cytological and immunocytological features were quite distinct.

Keywords

References

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