History Collection and Physical Examination
In both general and speciality care settings, history collection and physical examination are the most helpful diagnostic procedures in diagnosing Merkel Cell Carcinoma. History taking comprises documenting the symptom and patient's complaint, a diagnostic method influenced by melanoma pathophysiology. In certain cases, the affected skin may appear inflamed, and the lump may be bleeding. The painless patches are shiny and change hues (blueish, reddish, pinkish), and they expand and spread quickly to adjoining locations (Alam, Bordeaux, & Siegrid, 2013). Individuals suffering from a neuroendocrine tumor may also experience heart murmurs, headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Another element of history taking is documenting risk factors, where fundamental questions revolve around the use of tanning bed and overexposure to damaging sun rays. The sessions also centralize on medical history, where issues of focus are general health status, recent organ transplants, past diagnoses such as HIV, lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas, as well as psoriasis treatments. Other unalterable vulnerabilities that should be documented are age and ethnoracial backgrounds, where older men of European descent are the most susceptible group (Stockfleth, Rosen, & Schumaak, 2010).
Physical Examination
Physical examination is also critical in identifying Merkel Cell Carcinoma, where the doctor investigates definitive symptoms such as size, texture, shape, and color of the lumps. Physiological developments such as crusting, bleeding, and oozing are also examined. The practitioner should also check for spots in other parts of the body, including signs of lymphadenitis as Merkel Cell Carcinoma causes swelling of the lymph nodes (Nasir & Coppola, 2016). While physical examination and history taking are standard procedures critical in confirming metastases, further tests should be recommended as part of the differential diagnoses.
References
Alam, M., Bordeaux, J. S., & Siegrid, S. Y. (Eds.). (2013). Merkel cell carcinoma. Springer.
Nasir, A., & Coppola, D. (Eds.). (2016). Neuroendocrine Tumors: Review of Pathology, Molecular and Therapeutic Advances. Springer.
Stockfleth, E., Rosen, T., & Schumaak, S. (Eds.). (2010). Managing skin cancer. Springer Science & Business Media.
