Seed and soil? - Pharyngeal Merkel cell carcinoma after radiotherapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Monica K Rossi; D Anand Rajan Kanagasabapathy; Henry T Hoffman

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.03.005

Seed and soil? - Pharyngeal Merkel cell carcinoma after radiotherapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Am J Otolaryngol. 2019 May-Jun;40(3):448-452. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.03.005. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Authors

Monica K Rossi¹, D Anand Rajan Kanagasabapathy², Henry T Hoffman³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 21151 Pomerantz Family Pavilion, 200 Hawkins Drive, 52240, Iowa City, IA, USA. Electronic address: monica-rossi@uiowa.edu.
² Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 5329-A Roy Carver Pavilion, 200 Hawkins Drive, 52240 Iowa City, IA, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 21151 Pomerantz Family Pavilion, 200 Hawkins Drive, 52240, Iowa City, IA, USA.

PMID: 30885449
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.03.005

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy that may present as metastatic disease without a known primary site but, most commonly originates in the sun-exposed skin of the head, neck, and extremities. We present a 66-year-old male treated with chemo-radiation for T3N2cM0 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) six years before he was diagnosed with MCC isolated to the radiated laryngopharynx. Mucosal MCC is rare and radiation-induced MCC has been hypothesized to occur in previously radiated tissue but, never before to the laryngopharynx. Implications regarding cancer biology and management is focused with discussion on relevant advances in pathologic assessment and immunotherapy.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / therapeutic use
B7-H1 Antigen / therapeutic use
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / etiology
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / pathology
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / therapy*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / radiotherapy
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy*
Chemoradiotherapy / adverse effects*
Humans
Immunotherapy
Laryngeal Neoplasms / etiology
Laryngeal Neoplasms / pathology
Laryngeal Neoplasms / radiotherapy
Laryngeal Neoplasms / therapy*
Male
Neoplasm Staging
Neoplasms, Second Primary
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
Ultraviolet Rays / adverse effects

Substances

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
B7-H1 Antigen
PDCD1 protein, human
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
pembrolizumab