Abuharb AIA, Alzamil AF, Alqarni KS, Alsudays AM, Alqahtani SM, Alahmadi RM, Mutairy ASA, Alghamdi FR. Merkel cell carcinoma presenting as a nasal dorsum mass: A case report and literature review. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(24): 105244 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i24.105244]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Abdullah Ibrahim Ali Abuharb, Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Imam Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University, Al Thoumamah Road, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia. abdullah.abuharb@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. Aug 26, 2025; 13(24): 105244 Published online Aug 26, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i24.105244
Merkel cell carcinoma presenting as a nasal dorsum mass: A case report and literature review
Abdullah Ibrahim Ali Abuharb, Abdullah Fahad Alzamil, Khalid Saad Alqarni, Ali M Alsudays, Saeed M Alqahtani, Rawan Mosleh Alahmadi, Alyaa Shojaa Al Mutairy, Fareed Ramzi Alghamdi
Abdullah Ibrahim Ali Abuharb, Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Imam Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Fahad Alzamil, Khalid Saad Alqarni, Saeed M Alqahtani, Rawan Mosleh Alahmadi, Alyaa Shojaa Al Mutairy, Fareed Ramzi Alghamdi, Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
Ali M Alsudays, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Buraydah 51481, Saudi Arabia
Ali M Alsudays, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Abuharb AIA, Alzamil AF, Alqarni KS, Alsudays AM, Alqahtani SM, Alahmadi RM, Al Mutairy AS, and Alghamdi FR, contributed to manuscript writing and editing, and data collection; Alghamdi FR contributed to conceptualization and supervision; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this case report and accompanying images, ensuring confidentiality and adherence to ethical guidelines.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Abdullah Ibrahim Ali Abuharb, Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Imam Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University, Al Thoumamah Road, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia. abdullah.abuharb@gmail.com
Received: January 22, 2025 Revised: April 1, 2025 Accepted: May 13, 2025 Published online: August 26, 2025 Processing time: 145 Days and 17.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer with high incidence in older and immunocompromised patients. Its occurrence in the nasal dorsum is extremely rare and poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
CASE SUMMARY
We report the case of a 65-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus and hypertension who presented with a dorsal nasal mass. The initial differential diagnosis favored hemangioma-based clinical examination on imaging. Histopathological examination after excision revealed MCC, necessitating a complex management strategy. A 3 cm × 2 cm nasal mass, initially suspected to be a hemangioma, was excised but revealed MCC with positive margins. Positron emission tomography–computed tomography confirmed metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy. The patient underwent bilateral neck dissection, revealing metastases in seven nodes. Residual activity was treated with radiation therapy, leading to a favorable response after 6 months.
CONCLUSION
This case highlights the importance of considering MCC in the differential diagnosis of nasal masses, and integrated management.
Core Tip: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer often misdiagnosed owing to its non-specific presentation. This case report details the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of MCC in the nasal dorsum of a patient with diabetes and hypertension. Emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration, it highlights the role of advanced imaging, histopathological analysis, and tailored treatment strategies. By sharing insights from a unique clinical scenario, this report adds to the growing body of literature on MCC and underscores the importance of early recognition and comprehensive care in managing atypical presentations of this malignancy.
