A Challenging Nodular Lesion of the Ear

Abstract

Skin nodular lesion are really frequent, but rapidly growing ones needs to be quickly removed since they can hide really aggressive skin tumor. Among malignant lesion Merkel cell carcinoma arise. It is a rare neuroendocrine skin tumor highly aggressive, not easy to diagnose at first stage, since at first diagnosis it is already widespreading all over the body. In order to renew interest in this letal skin tumori is mandatory to remind high risk population which include elderly people, white skin, chronically exposed to UV immunocompromised. Our unhappy case was described to increase awareness on this kind of skin tumor, since new drug appeared in the market can give an hope to these patients.

Keywords: Merkel cell carcinoma; ear; nodular lesion.

Figure 1

Asymptomatic rapidly growing violaceous nodule on the right helix of the patient.

Figure 2

Histologic findings. A predominately dermal blue nodule composed of small–medium-sized round cells with a round nucleus, fine granular chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and scanty cytoplasm (A) ×200, Lower insert ×20 hematoxylin-eosin, (H&E). Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells are positive for CD56 (B) ×200 and synaptophysin (C) ×200 and negative for chromogranin A (D) ×200.