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. 2013 Oct 8;47(4):366-9.
doi: 10.2478/raon-2013-0059. eCollection 2013.

Electrochemotherapy as a new therapeutic strategy in advanced Merkel cell carcinoma of head and neck region

Daniele Scelsi  1 , Niccolò Mevio, Giulia Bertino, Antonio Occhini, Valeria Brazzelli, Patrizia Morbini, Marco Benazzo
Affiliations

Electrochemotherapy as a new therapeutic strategy in advanced Merkel cell carcinoma of head and neck region

Daniele Scelsi et al. Radiol Oncol. .

Abstract

Background: Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive tumour, arising from a cutaneous mechanoceptor cell located in the basal layer of epidermis, with poor prognosis. The treatment of choice for the initial stage of the disease is surgery and/or radiotherapy. The treatment of recurrent or advanced disease is still controversial.

Case report: We report a case of 84 years old woman with a recurrent MCC of the chin treated with electrochemotherapy (ECT). During the period of 20 months, four sessions of ECT were employed, which resulted in an objective response of the tumour and good quality of residual life.

Conclusions: Our case shows the effectiveness of ECT in the treatment of locally advanced MCC of the head and neck region in a patient not suitable for standard therapeutic options.

Keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma; electrochemotherapy; head and neck cancer; palliative treatment.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Tumour biopsy showing poorly differentiated cells with scarce cytoplasm and vesicular nuclei with inconspicuous nucleoli. High mitotic index and apoptotic figures were present. Immunohistochemical reactions were positive for cytokeratin 8 and 20 and neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin, synaptophysin and CD56/NCAM); TTF-1 was not expressed (H&E stain, 40×).
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Before first electrochemotherapy: voluminous bluish lesion of the chin.
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.
Reduction of 80% of the volume to the initial lesion after 2 treatments.
FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 4.
Follow up after four electrochemotherapy applications and 16 months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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