Browse > Article

Evaluation of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Metastasis Using Positron Emission Topography/CT  

Kwon, Soon Hong (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic Universityof Korea)
Song, Jin Kyung (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic Universityof Korea)
Yoo, Gyeol (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic Universityof Korea)
Byeon, Jun Hee (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic Universityof Korea)
Publication Information
Archives of Plastic Surgery / v.33, no.2, 2006 , pp. 233-236 More about this Journal
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma is rare skin malignancy originated from epidermal mechanoreceptor of neural origin. The tumor usually affects older individuals at sun exposed area such as head, neck and extremity. Subclinical involvement of regional lymph node is reported frequently at the time of initial treatment. Thus even asymptomatic patients who present with clinically localized tumor should undergo evaluation with computed tomography and lymphangiography. Positron emission tomography(PET) scans can imaging the metabolic difference of malignant tumors. Increased glucose uptake of malignant tumor cells are detected by PET scanner. PET scans can provide qualitative and quantitative informations about systemic metastasis of tumors. Although there are no data that define the efficacy of PET scans in the initial diagnostic evaluation of head and neck cancer, they could be considered. Current standards of treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma is wide surgical excision and regional lymphadenectomy if there are suspicious lymph nodes. The author reported a patient with Merkel cell carcinoma of cheek. Wide surgical excision and postoperative PET/CT was done for evaluation of regional lymph node and distant metastasis. There were two hot-uptakes in patient's neck, so they were considered as metastatic node, but finally they were proved to be tuberculosis lymphadenitis after excision.
Keywords
Merkel cell carcinoma, PET/CT;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Krasagakis K, Tosca AD: Overview of Merkel cell carcinoma and recent advances in research. Int J Dermatol 42: 669, 2003   DOI   ScienceOn
2 Pan D, Narayan D, Ariyan S: Merkel cell carcinoma: Five case reports using sentinel lymph node biopsy and a review of 110 new cases. Plast Reconstr Surg 110: 1259, 2002   DOI   ScienceOn
3 Park JS, Lee DK, Cho MK, Son SJ: Two cases of merkel cell carcinoma. Korean J Dermatol 39: 323, 2001
4 Jerusalem G, Hustinx R, Beguin Y, Fillet G: PET scan imaging in oncology. Eur J Cancer 39: 1525, 2003   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Mendenhall WM, Mendenhall CM, Mendenhall NP: Merkel cell carcinoma. Laryngoscope 114: 906, 2004   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Toker C: Trabecular carcinoma of the skin. Arch Dermatol 105: 107, 1972   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Brady MS: Current management of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma. Dermatol Surg 30: 321, 2004   DOI   ScienceOn
8 Kau RJ, Alexiou C Laubenbacher C, Werner M, Schwaiger M, Arnold W: Lymph node detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas by positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 in a routine clinical setting. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 125: 1322, 1999   DOI