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Review
. 2012 Jan-Feb;16(1):54-60.
doi: 10.1177/120347541201600111.

Intracranial spread of Merkel cell carcinoma to the cerebellopontine angle

Brian Seaman  1 , Steven Brem, Allison Fromm, Aileen Staller, Timothy McCardle, Surbhi Jain
Affiliations
Review

Intracranial spread of Merkel cell carcinoma to the cerebellopontine angle

Brian Seaman et al. J Cutan Med Surg. 2012 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly malignant, and aggressive dermal neuroendocrine neoplasm that rarely metastasizes to the central nervous system.

Objective: To review the current literature regarding treatment of neurometastatic MCC.

Methods: A case of a 78-year-old male with intracranial extra-axial metastatic MCC involving the left cerebellopontine angle is presented.

Results: A retrosigmoid craniectomy was performed with complete resection of the metastatic focus. Adjuvant treatment included whole-brain radiation therapy followed by etoposide and carboplatin chemotherapy. Seven months postoperatively, the patient was free of metastatic disease.

Conclusion: Surgical resection should be performed when feasible to prevent local recurrence. This may be followed by early adjuvant fractionated whole-brain radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy; however, no clinical trials have been performed to demonstrate a survival benefit.

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