Spontaneous regression of Merkel cell carcinoma of the nose.

BACKGROUND

Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neurendocrine tumor of cutaneous origin.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 79-year-old woman was seen with a neck lump and a lesion in the left nasal vestibule. Biopsy of the lesion revealed a primary neurendocrine MCC of the skin of the nasal vestibule with metastases to the cervical lymph nodes. The patient decided against any further active treatment. Follow-up of patient for 30 months showed spontaneous regression of the lesions without any active treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Although spontaneous resolution of MCC has been described for other head neck sites, there has not been any published case of nasal MCC regression. We present this rare case of nasal MCC with neck metastases and its regression.