[Merkel cell carcinoma]

Merkel cell carcinoma (Mcc) is a very rare, malignant, neuroendocrine tumour. Mcc has an aggressive behavior, local recurrence, and regional or distant metastasis generally develop within a short period of time. At the Oral Medicine Department 158,056 patients were treated between 1970 and 2004. A single case of Mcc was diagnosed, in a 79-year-old woman. The tumour was localized to the upper lip. After successful cryosurgery and a 7-year tumour-free period, a new tumour developed in her palatine tonsil. It was an anaplastic carcinoma with neuroendocrine features, raising the possibility of a late haematogenous metastasis, a second field tumour, or a second primary tumour. The clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and genetic findings suggested that the tumour of the palatine tonsil is a second field tumour.