Skip to main content
Log in

Small cell carcinoma of the cervix: a case report

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix accounts for 1–3% of all cervix cancers. It is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. To date, no effective treatment protocol has been determined. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have been used either alone or in combination. Recent data suggests that survival in patients with early staged small cell carcinoma of the cervix is better with surgery combined with chemo-radiotherapy. Here, we presented two patients with stage IB1 small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. For both patients, definitive surgery was performed with pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Subsequently, they were treated with pelvic external radiotherapy and high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy with concurrent cisplatin based chemotherapy. They were alive with no evidence of disease at 91 and 65 months, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abeler VM, Holm R, Nesland JM, Kjorstad KE (1994) Small cell carcinoma of the cervix. A clinicopathologic study of 26 patients. Cancer 73(3):672–677

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Albores-Saavedra J, Gersell D, Gilks CB, Henson DE, Lindberg G, Santiago H et al (1997) Terminology of endocrine tumors of the uterine cervix: results of a workshop sponsored by the College of American Pathologists and the National Cancer Institute. Arch Pathol Lab Med 121:34–39

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Benedet JL, Bender H, Jones H III, Ngan HY, Pecorelli S (2000) FIGO staging classifications and clinical practice guidelines in the management of gynecologic cancers. FIGO Committee on gynecologic oncology. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 70:209–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bermudez A, Vighi S, Garcia A, Sardi J (2001) Neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Gynecol Oncol 82(1):32–39

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Boruta DM II, Schorge JO, Duska LA, Crum CP, Castrillon DH, Sheets EE (2001) Multimodality therapy in early-stage neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Gynecol Oncol 81(1):82–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chan JK, Loizzi V, Burger RA, Rutgers J, Monk BJ (2003) Prognostic factors in neuroendocrine small cell cervical carcinoma: a multivariate analysis. Cancer 97(3):568–574

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Chang TC, Lai CH, Tseng CJ, Hsueh S, Huang KG, Chou HH (1998) Prognostic factors in surgically treated small cell cervical carcinoma followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 83(4):712–718

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Crowder S, Tuller E (2007) Small cell carcinoma of the female genital tract. Semin Oncol 34(1):57–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Delaloge S, Pautier P, Kerbrat P, Castaigne D, Haie-Meder C, Duvillard P et al (2000) Neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: what disease? What treatment? Report of ten cases and a review of the literature. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 12(6):357–362

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fukuoka M, Furuse K, Saijo N, Nishiwaki Y, Ikegami H, Tamura T et al (1991) Randomized trial of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine versus cisplatin and etoposide versus alternation of these regimens in small-cell lung cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 83(12):855–861

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hoskins PJ, Wong F, Swenerton KD, Pike JA, Manji M, McMurtrie E et al (1995) Small cell carcinoma of the cervix treated with concurrent radiotherapy, cisplatin, and etoposide. Gynecol Oncol 56(2):218–225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Iemura K, Sonoda T, Hayakawa A, Abe S, Nemoto N, Adachi I et al (1991) Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix showing Cushing’s syndrome caused by ectopic adrenocorticotropin hormone production. Jpn J Clin Oncol 21:293–298

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kim YT, Park SW, Kim JW (2002) Correlation between expression of EGFR and the prognosis of patients with cervical carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol 87:84–89

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Mannion C, Park W, Man YG, Zhuang Z, Albores-Saavedra J, Tavassoli FA (1998) Endocrine tumors of the cervix. Cancer 83:1391–1400

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Morris M, Gershenson DM, Eifel P, Silva EG, Mitchell MF, Burke TW et al (1992) Treatment of small cell carcinoma of the cervix with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and etoposide. Gynecol Oncol 47(1):62–65

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. O’Hanlan KA, Goldberg GL, Jones JG, Runowicz CD, Ehrlich L, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L (1991) Adjuvant therapy for neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of the cervix: review of the literature. Gynecol Oncol 43(2):167–172

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Pazdur R, Bonomi P, Slayton R, Gould VE, Miller A, Jao W et al (1981) Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: implications for staging and therapy. Gynecol Oncol 12(1):120–128

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Petru E, Pasterk C, Reich O, Obermair A, Winter R, Breitenecker G (2005) Small-cell carcinoma of the uterus and the vagina: experience with ten patients. Arch Gynecol Obstet 271(4):316–319

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Roth BJ, Johnson DH, Einhorn LH, Schacter LP, Cherng NC, Cohen HJ et al (1992) Randomized study of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine versus etoposide and cisplatin versus alternation of these two regimens in extensive small-cell lung cancer: a phase III trial of the Southeastern Cancer Study Group. J Clin Oncol 10(2):282–291

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sevin BU, Nadji M, Lampe B, Lu Y, Hilsenbeck S, Koechli OR et al (1995) Prognostic factors of early stage cervical cancer treated by radical hysterectomy. Cancer 76(10 Suppl):1978–1986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sheets EE, Berman ML, Hrountas CK, Liao SY, Disaia PJ (1988) Surgically treated, early-stage neuroendocrine small cell cervical carcinoma. Obstet Gynecol 71:10–14

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Stoler MH, Mills SE, Gersell DJ, Walker AN (1991) Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. A human papillomavirus type 18-associated cancer. Am J Surg Pathol 15(1):28–32

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Straughn JM Jr, Richter HE, Conner MG, Meleth S, Barnes MN (2001) Predictors of outcome in small cell carcinoma of the cervix-a case series. Gynecol Oncol 83(2):216–220

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Sutton GP, Siemers E, Stehman FB, Ehrlich CE (1988) Eaton–Lambert syndrome as a harbinger of recurrent small-cell carcinoma of the cervix with improvement after combination chemotherapy. Obstet Gynecol 72(3):516–518

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sykes AJ, Shanks JH, Davidson SE (1999) Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a clinicopathological review. Int J Oncol 14(2):381–386

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Tabbara IA, Grosh WA, Andersen WA, Taylor PT, Hahn SS, Stewart FM (1990) Treatment of small-cell carcinoma of the cervix with weekly combination chemotherapy. Eur J Cancer 26(6):748–749

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tsunoda S, Jobo T, Arai M, Imai M, Kanai T, Tamura T et al (2005) Small-cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a clinicopathologic study of 11 cases. Int J Gynecol Cancer 15(2):295–300

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ueda G, Shimizu C, Shimizu H, Saito J, Tanaka Y, Inoue M, Tanizawa O (1989) An immunohistochemical study of small- cell and poorly differentiated carcinomas of the cervix using neuroendocrine markers. Gynecol Oncol 34:164–169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Van Nagell JR Jr, Powell DE, Gallion HH, Elliott DG, Donaldson ES, Carpenter AE et al (1988) Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Cancer 62(8):1586–1593

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Viswanathan AN, Deavers MT, Jhingran A, Ramirez PT, Levenback C, Eifel PJ (2004) Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: outcome and patterns of recurrence. Gynecol Oncol 93(1):27–33

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Weed JC Jr, Graff AT, Shoup B, Tawfik O (2003) Small cell undifferentiated (neuroendocrine) carcinoma of the uterine cervix. J Am Coll Surg 197(1):44–51

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wistuba II, Gazdar AF, Minna JD (2001) Molecular genetics of small cell lung carcinoma. Semin Oncol 28(2 Suppl 4):3–13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wolber RA, Clement PB (1991) In situ DNA hybridization of cervical small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma using biotin-labeled human Papillomavirus probes. Mod Pathol 4(1):96–100

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Akdeniz University Scientific Research Projects Unit. The authors thank Sevilay Ezbiderli, M.B.A., for her English-language editorial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aylin Fidan Korcum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Korcum, A.F., Aksu, G., Bozcuk, H. et al. Small cell carcinoma of the cervix: a case report. Arch Gynecol Obstet 277, 367–370 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0463-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0463-9

Keywords

Navigation