Primary small cell carcinoma of the ureter

Abstract

Rationale:Primitive small cell carcinoma of the ureter is extremely rare, in this case report is meticulously described its aggressive clinical course and the pathological clues that help with the diagnosis. Also, a detailed table with the clinico-pathological features of analogous case reports in literature is provided.Patient concerns:A 79-year-old female presented with gross hematuria and flank pain.Diagnoses:Small cell carcinoma of the ureter. The surgical specimen showed a mixed histology of small cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma; the common neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD56) were positive, and vimentin and thyroid transcription factor 1 were negative. The patient had an advanced stage at presentation with regional nodes involvement (pT3N1).Interventions:Segmental ureterectomy was performed but it was only possible to administer 1 cycle of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy due to the rapid decline of her clinical parameters.Outcomes:The disease rapidly spread locally and metastasized.Lesson:The clinicians must be aware of this aggressive tumor with silent clinical course and advanced stages at presentation.

Collision Carcinoma Involving Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Ureter: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…The most common sites of SCNEC in the genitourinary region are the bladder and prostate (16). However, the incidence of primary ureteral SCNEC is extremely low, accounting for less than 0.5% of all ureteral carcinomas (12). Histologically, the tumour cells of SCNEC are small, densely arranged and have scant cytoplasm.…”

“…We report the case of a patient with a ureteral collision tumour consisting of SCNEC and SCC. Here, we systematically review the literature on ureteral collision carcinoma involving SCNEC and summarize the clinicopathological features, current practice of management and prognosis of this rare tumour (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

Primary small cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: A case report

“…Patients with pure or variant SCC of the upper urinary tract typically present in the sixth or seventh decade of life 1 , 2 , 3 . No definite risk factors have been identified, but smoking may play a role 1 , 2 .…”

“…No definite risk factors have been identified, but smoking may play a role 1 , 2 . Presenting symptoms include weight loss, flank pain, hematuria, dysuria, or recurrent urinary tract infections 1 , 3 . Primary NE tumors in the urinary tract are not typically associated with paraneoplastic syndromes.…”

Connexins and Gap Junctions in Cancer of the Urinary Tract

“…As far as the authors are aware, no information is available on gap junctions in the normal urothelium of the upper urinary tract and its tumors. Cancer of the upper urinary tract is rare but has been described [33,34]. A main risk factor for urothelial carcinomas and small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas in the urinary bladder and in the urinary tract in general is tobacco smoking or exposure to tobacco smoke, respectively [35].…”