Hydelene B. Dominguez
SLU-Hospital of the Sacred Heart, Philippines
Title: Merkel Cell Carcinoma in an 82-year-old Filipino Male: A Case Report and Literature Review
Biography
Biography: Hydelene B. Dominguez
Abstract
Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon, highly aggressive skin malignancy that develops usually in sun-exposed areas, most common on the head and neck area (55%). MCC is mainly a malignancy of UV exposed and fair skinned elderly Caucasians. We report the case of an 82 year old Filipino male who presented with progressive left leg swelling with multiple nodules of varying sizes. The nodules were excised and pathologic diagnosis revealed MCC. The patient underwent chemotherapy however expired due to acute respiratory failure type 1 secondary to acute kidney injury as a complication of tumor lysis syndrome. MCC carries a poor prognosis hence early detection is warranted and vital for patient’s survival.