[Palpebral Merkel cell tumors apropos of 3 cases]

Abstract

The Merkel-cell tumor is a recently individualized (1972) malignant skin tumor. The diagnosis is made on the pathology. It consists of an intra-dermal proliferation of small regular cells with large nucleus and reduced cytoplasm. The evidence of neurosecretory granules and paranuclear intermediate filaments by electron microscopy is suggestive of a Merkel-cell tumor. Following a review of the literature and 3 personal observations the authors have detailed the clinical, anatomopathologic and evolutional characteristics of palpebral localizations.