Merkel cell carcinoma metastasizing to the kidney mimicking primary neuroendocrine renal cancer

A 56‐year‐old male with a history of cutaneous neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma presented with a solid mass of the left kidney, measuring 10 cm in largest diameter. On histology, the tumour was composed of loosely packed uniform cells with round‐to‐oval nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Immunohistoc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica, 2007-06, Vol.115 (6), p.774-777
Main Authors: POLLHEIMER, VERENA S., BODO, KOPPANY, POLLHEIMER, MARION J., ZIGEUNER, RICHARD, LANGNER, CORD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
carcinoma metastatic to the kidney
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell - classification
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell - metabolism
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell - pathology
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine - pathology
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine - physiopathology
differential diagnosis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Infectious diseases
Kidney Neoplasms - secondary
Male
Medical sciences
Merkel cell carcinoma
Microbiology
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Metastasis
neuroendocrine carcinoma of the kidney
Tumors
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Summary:A 56‐year‐old male with a history of cutaneous neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma presented with a solid mass of the left kidney, measuring 10 cm in largest diameter. On histology, the tumour was composed of loosely packed uniform cells with round‐to‐oval nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells diffusely expressed pancytokeratin and neuroendocrine markers, such as chromogranin A, synaptophysin and CD56 (NCAM). Distinct paranuclear dot‐like expression of cytokeratin 20 showed the lesion to be metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. This is the first reported case of Merkel cell carcinoma metastatic to the kidney mimicking primary neuroendocrine renal cancer. We discuss the differential diagnosis of the tumour and perform a systematic literature review, including potential indications for renal tumour biopsy in patients with a history of nonrenal malignancy.
ISSN:0903-4641
1600-0463
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0463.2007.apm_617.x