Primary Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Endometrium

Abstract

Background: Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is very rarely encountered within the endometrium. Case Study: A patient underwent a hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy for a suspicious gynecologic condition. Pathology revealed invasive small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium; the neoplasm exhibited positive immunoreactivity for synaptophysin, pancytokeratin and CD56 but was negative for CD3 and CD20. Prior to chemotherapy, a completion lymphadenectomy was indicated to determine the presence of nodal metastases. Conclusion: The prognosis of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium is unfavorable but prompt detection with surgery and adjuvant therapy may confer a better clinical outcome.

The puzzle of gynecologic neuroendocrine carcinomas: State of the art and future directions

“…The endometrial NECs are rare and aggressive, accounting for less than 1% of all endometrial carcinomas (Huntsman et al, 1994). More than a hundred cases have been reported in the literature, mostly associated with other common histotypes, especially the endometrioid carcinoma, which is concomitant in 50-70 % of cases (Atienza-Amores et al, 2014;Abaid et al, 2012). There are several differences between endometrial NECs and more traditional subtypes of endometrial cancer, in terms of prognosis, diagnosis and treatment.…”