[Clinicopathologic study of patients with small cell carcinoma of the cervix]

To study the clinicopathologic characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of small cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Eight patients with small cell carcinoma of the cervix were treated from May 1991 to December 1997 at Jiangxi Women's and Children's Hospital. Clinical data and follow-up records were retrospectively analyzed.

Five patients had stage I(b) disease and 3 had stage II(b) disease. Seven patients underwent radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. One patient with stage II(b) disease was only treated with radiotherapy. Of the patients treated with operation, three showed pelvic lymph node metastases. Four patients who are alive free of the disease have been followed for 2, 13, 16 and 25 months, respectively. The survival intervals of 4 patients who died of the disease was 4, 5, 7 and 10 months, respectively. Of the death, one patient was only treated with radiotherapy, another had a very large cervical tumor and the two others complicated with pelvic lymph node metastases.

Small cell carcinoma of the cervix is an aggressive tumor with a potentiality for early pelvic lymph node metastases and rapid recurrence, It is associated with higher mortality than any other cervical malignant neoplasms. It is able to make a right diagnosis with a combination of histopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics.