[Combined treatment with CDDP and radiation effective against neuroendocrine carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a case report]

A case of neuroendocrine carcinoma (small cell carcinoma) of the urinary bladder is presented. A 76-year-old man complaining of dysuria visited our clinic on October 31, 1997. On physical examination, a huge mass was palpable in the lower abdomen. Abdominal and pelvic computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a huge mass, 6.7 x 6.0 cm in size, with extravesical extension in the anterior wall of the urinary bladder and no metastatic lesions. Percutaneous biopsy of the tumor revealed undifferentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. The value of serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) was 220 ng/ml (normal range: 0-10 ng/ml). Twenty days after the first CT scan, the tumor had grown to be 12.5 x 11.0 cm in size. He was treated with combination therapy of systemic cisplatin and external pelvic radiation and then achieved complete remission on CT scan and biopsy. The value of serum NSE was normalized. Four months later, abdominal CT scan revealed a huge metastastic lesion in the paraaortic and parahepatic regions, but, no local recurrence in the bladder. The value of serum NSE was 240 ng/ml. He was treated with 4 cycles of systemic combination therapy of cisplatin and etoposide. He achieved partial remission (regression rate: 77%) on CT scan after completion of the first 2 cycles, but the tumor showed rapid re-growth and he died of cancer 1 month later despite another 2 cycles. These combination therapies were effective against neuroendocrine carcinoma of the urinary bladder, although, the duration of the effect was short.