Morphological patterns of metastases from combined Merkel cell carcinomas: study of an eastern Canadian cohort of cases

Combined Merkel cell carcinomas are hybrid tumors composed of neuroendocrine and other phenotypic (usually squamous) elements. They form a minority of Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) as a whole, are usually Merkel cell polyomavirus-negative, and have rarely been segregated for specific study. Sporadic reports have indicated that metastases from these tumors can show a combined phenotype. We retrospectively studied 38 cases (24 men [63%], 14 women [37%], mean age 78 years [range, 46–99 years]) of combined MCC. Metastases occurred in 20 patients (53%) (at presentation and/or in follow-up [mean 38 months (range, 0.6–185 months)]). Those from 17 individuals (45%) were examined microscopically. These were mainly nodal in distribution. In 12 patients (71%), the secondary deposits were of pure neuroendocrine type, whereas in 5 (29%), combined deposits were identified. Squamous elements were the most common divergent component, in the primary and secondary tumors. The combined metastases varied from obvious squamous nests in a neuroendocrine background to scattered bizarre tumor giant cells expressing CK5/6 on immunohistochemistry. In one case, individual nodes within a single basin displayed purely squamous or purely neuroendocrine deposits. The mean overall survival in the cohort was 48 months (range, 30–67 months) and the mortality was 82%. Our work sheds light on the frequency and patterns of metastases in combined MCCs. In concert with the poor outcome data documented by others, it also raises a question as to the potential prognostic significance of a combined phenotype per se, independent of a virus-negative status and other variables. This issue deserves further study.