Merkel cell carcinoma in a young pregnant woman

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2008 Dec;61(12):1530-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2007.06.016. Epub 2007 Jul 30.

Abstract

We present a 27-year-old pregnant woman with Merkel cell carcinoma on the forehead. In early pregnancy, the lesion was excised as an epidermal cyst. It was only after recurrence that a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma was made. Sentinel-node biopsy, excision with 2 cm margins and reconstruction with free microvascular radial forearm flap was carried out, and the patient received postoperative radiotherapy. No evidence of recurrence or disease progression was found 24 months after surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / surgery*
  • Facial Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Facial Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Female
  • Forehead
  • Humans
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / surgery*
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Skin Transplantation / methods
  • Surgical Flaps