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Increased incidence of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and lymphomas in patients with M erkel cell carcinoma – a population based study of 335 cases with neuroendocrine skin tumour
Author(s) -
Tadmor Tamar,
Liphshitz Irena,
Aviv Ariel,
Landgren Ola,
Barchana Micha,
Polliack Aaron
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2012.09087.x
Subject(s) - merkel cell carcinoma , medicine , merkel cell polyomavirus , malignancy , incidence (geometry) , population , cancer registry , merkel cell , lymphoma , mycosis fungoides , lymphoproliferative disorders , cancer , skin cancer , dermatology , carcinoma , oncology , pathology , physics , environmental health , optics
Summary Merkel cell carcinoma ( MCC ) is a rare aggressive skin tumour that appears to be associated with a large number of other tumours. We collected all reported cases in Israel and estimated its association with other tumours, including haematological malignancies. The population based I srael C ancer R egistry identified 335 patients with MCC diagnosed between1989 and 2010. Ninety‐seven percent were in the J ewish population; median age at diagnosis for J ewish patients was 73·4 and 55·6 years for the A rab population. Other associated malignancies were encountered in 92 patients (27·4%) with MCC (90 J ews, two A rabs). Of the J ewish cases, 66 presented with an associated malignancy before, and 24 after, the diagnosis of MCC . Solid tumours were not significantly increased among patients with MCC . Thirty‐one of these associated cancers (34·4%) were haemato‐oncological malignancies, 24 were detected before and seven after the diagnosis of MCC . The standardized incidence ratio ( SIR ) for haematological malignancy was 3·67 for males and 3·62 for females, and the most frequent haemato‐oncological neoplasias recorded were chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (45%) and lymphomas (29%). Although MCC is rare, clinicians should be aware of the possible association with B ‐cell lymphoproliferative disorders when evaluating patients with neuroendocrine skin tumours.