Merkel cell tumour of the skin

Two cases of a rare neuroendocrine skin tumour (Merkel cell carcinoma) are reported. The tumour affects mainly old women and men. It has a great tendency to metastasize to lymph nodes and distant sites. The primary treatment is surgical but radiotherapy has an important role to play. Merkel cell tumours are capable of producing NSE and have also been documented to secrete calcitonin and ACTH. Difficulties in histological diagnosis are frequent. The definitive diagnosis can only be made by electron microscopic examination.