Korean J Urol.  2007 Dec;48(12):1315-1318. 10.4111/kju.2007.48.12.1315.

Case Review of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder in Korea

• Park CS
• Jeon TK
• Lee W
• Chung MK

• KMID: 1990157
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2007.48.12.1315

Abstract

Although it is known that small cell carcinoma most commonly occurs in the lung, it may also originate outside the thorax. Primary extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma has been reported in various organs, including the pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, salivary glands, pancreas, skin, breast, cervix, vagina, kidneys, ureter, prostate and urinary bladder. Primary pure small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder is a rare condition. It is an aggressive tumor with an average five-year survival rate of less than 10%, as cited by multiple case reports. The mean age of these patients is 67.8 years. The prognosis of small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is poor because its behavior is more aggressive than bladder transitional cell carcinoma. We review here 4 cases with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, including our own patient who we treated.

Keyword

Small cell carcinoma; Urinary bladder; Prognosis

MeSH Terms

Breast
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine
Carcinoma, Small Cell*
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell
Cervix Uteri
Esophagus
Female
Humans
Intestine, Small
Kidney
Korea*
Larynx
Lung
Pancreas
Pharynx
Prognosis
Prostate
Salivary Glands
Skin
Stomach
Survival Rate
Thorax
Ureter
Urinary Bladder*
Vagina

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Multiple irregular marinate massed protruding into the bladder with no lymph node enlargement. The main mass is in the left lateral wall (30×25mm).

• 

  Fig. 2 Cystoscopic finding of a round shape bladder mass in the left lateral wall.

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  Fig. 3 Light microscopic finding shows evident invasion of small cell carcinoma (arrow) to the muscle layer, which is simulated by lymphocyte-like small round cells (H&E, ×400).

• 

  Fig. 4 Necrotic background (arrow) in the tumor cells (H&E, ×400).

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  Fig. 5 The tumor cells (arrow) show positive immunoreactivity for CD56 (Immunohistochemistry, ×400).

• 

  Fig. 6 Immunohistochemical staining with the neuroendocrine marker synaptophysin. Tissues (arrow) are diffusely stained for synaptophysin (Immunohistochemistry, ×400).

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