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Published on: July 5, 2021
Intracranial spread of Merkel cell carcinoma to the cerebellopontine angle
Brian Seaman1, Steven Brem, Allison Fromm
1Department of Neuro-oncology and Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Research Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
Background:
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly malignant, and aggressive dermal neuroendocrine neoplasm that rarely metastasizes to the central nervous system.
Objective:
To review the current literature regarding treatment of neurometastatic MCC.
Methods:
A case of a 78-year-old male with intracranial extra-axial metastatic MCC involving the left cerebellopontine angle is presented.
Results:
A retrosigmoid craniectomy was performed with complete resection of the metastatic focus. Adjuvant treatment included whole-brain radiation therapy followed by etoposide and carboplatin chemotherapy. Seven months postoperatively, the patient was free of metastatic disease.
Conclusion:
Surgical resection should be performed when feasible to prevent local recurrence. This may be followed by early adjuvant fractionated whole-brain radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy; however, no clinical trials have been performed to demonstrate a survival benefit.
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