An Extensive Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma due to Fright of COVID-19

Maria Danielsen; Trine Høgsberg; Henrik Frank Lorentzen; Ann-Kathrine Rahr German Rossau

doi:10.1159/000519649

An Extensive Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma due to Fright of COVID-19

Maria Danielsen, Trine Høgsberg, Henrik Frank Lorentzen, Ann-Kathrine Rahr German Rossau^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Clinical Medicine - The Department of Dermatology and Venereology

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a subtype of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with increasing incidence. Clinically, MCC resembles other far less-aggressive NMSCs, and the pathogenesis is still not understood completely. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve overall survival. We present a case report of a 74-year-old female, who had noticed a rapidly growing, oozing tumor on her right flank. She was hesitant to contact the dermatology ward where she had regular checkups as she was afraid of contracting COVID-19. This was in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At presentation, she had a large exophytic MCC on her right flank and multiple metastases. The disease was at a late stage, and palliative care was the only treatment option left. With this case, we wish to report a rather uncharacteristic location and size of an MCC tumor and suggest that fear of the pandemic and the COVID-19 lockdown has impacted dramatically on attendance of symptomatic patients.

Original language	English
Journal	Case Reports in Dermatology
Volume	13
Issue	3
Pages (from-to)	525-529
Number of pages	5
ISSN	1662-6567
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1159/000519649
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
Case report
Merkel cell carcinoma
Skin cancer

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10.1159/000519649Licence: CC BY-NC

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title = "An Extensive Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma due to Fright of COVID-19",

abstract = "Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a subtype of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with increasing incidence. Clinically, MCC resembles other far less-aggressive NMSCs, and the pathogenesis is still not understood completely. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve overall survival. We present a case report of a 74-year-old female, who had noticed a rapidly growing, oozing tumor on her right flank. She was hesitant to contact the dermatology ward where she had regular checkups as she was afraid of contracting COVID-19. This was in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At presentation, she had a large exophytic MCC on her right flank and multiple metastases. The disease was at a late stage, and palliative care was the only treatment option left. With this case, we wish to report a rather uncharacteristic location and size of an MCC tumor and suggest that fear of the pandemic and the COVID-19 lockdown has impacted dramatically on attendance of symptomatic patients.",

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author = "Maria Danielsen and Trine H{\o}gsberg and Lorentzen, {Henrik Frank} and Rossau, {Ann-Kathrine Rahr German}",

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AU - Danielsen, Maria

AU - Høgsberg, Trine

AU - Lorentzen, Henrik Frank

AU - Rossau, Ann-Kathrine Rahr German

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a subtype of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with increasing incidence. Clinically, MCC resembles other far less-aggressive NMSCs, and the pathogenesis is still not understood completely. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve overall survival. We present a case report of a 74-year-old female, who had noticed a rapidly growing, oozing tumor on her right flank. She was hesitant to contact the dermatology ward where she had regular checkups as she was afraid of contracting COVID-19. This was in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At presentation, she had a large exophytic MCC on her right flank and multiple metastases. The disease was at a late stage, and palliative care was the only treatment option left. With this case, we wish to report a rather uncharacteristic location and size of an MCC tumor and suggest that fear of the pandemic and the COVID-19 lockdown has impacted dramatically on attendance of symptomatic patients.

AB - Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a subtype of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with increasing incidence. Clinically, MCC resembles other far less-aggressive NMSCs, and the pathogenesis is still not understood completely. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve overall survival. We present a case report of a 74-year-old female, who had noticed a rapidly growing, oozing tumor on her right flank. She was hesitant to contact the dermatology ward where she had regular checkups as she was afraid of contracting COVID-19. This was in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At presentation, she had a large exophytic MCC on her right flank and multiple metastases. The disease was at a late stage, and palliative care was the only treatment option left. With this case, we wish to report a rather uncharacteristic location and size of an MCC tumor and suggest that fear of the pandemic and the COVID-19 lockdown has impacted dramatically on attendance of symptomatic patients.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Case report

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KW - Skin cancer

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An Extensive Case of Merkel Cell Carcinoma due to Fright of COVID-19

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