Merkel cell carcinoma: a case series of twelve patients and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare tumor of the skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 12 cases of MCC diagnosed and treated over a 14-year period. RESULTS: Seven females and 5 males, with a median age of 72 years and MCC of the face (5), trunk (1) and extremities (6), were studied. The stage was I in 2 cases and II in 10. Eight patients had surgery, two surgery and chemotherapy and two chemotherapy only. The last two patients died of disease after 10 and 16 months. Three patients suffered locoregional recurrence after 4, 6 and 24 months and three were lost to follow-up after 8, 9 and 24 months while disease-free. Two disease-free patients died of unrelated causes after 4 and 48 months, while three were alive and well after 24, 48 and 84 months. The three relapsing patients received chemotherapy in addition to local radiation in one case. One is alive and well, the other alive with disease and the third died of disease after 84, 107 and 10 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: MCC often recurs locally. Surgery is the treatment of choice, while radiotherapy is important for local control. Chemotherapy produces responses in the neoadjuvant setting or after relapse.

The fate of suctioned and surgically removed fat after reimplantation for soft-tissue augmentation: a volumetric and histologic study in the rabbit.

The use of autologous fat transplantation has seen renewed popularity with the recent advent of liposuction as a body recontouring technique. However, clinicians are still faced with uncertainty concerning the ultimate volume maintenance of the transplanted fat graft at its recipient site. This study was initiated to examine and evaluate the changes in volume of suctioned versus surgically excised fat grafts over a 9-month period in the New Zealand White rabbit. Fat grafts of equal volume were harvested from the groin using standard suction and surgical techniques and transferred into isolated pockets in the ear. Results demonstrate that both suctioned and surgically removed fat grafts undergo significant volume reduction. However, surgically excised fat maintains its volume (42.2 percent; n = 16) better than suction-assisted fat grafts (31.6 percent; n = 16; p < 0.05). Histologic examination showed that fibrous connective tissue was more prevalent in the suctioned fat grafts than in the surgically removed fat grafts.