[Small cell carcinoma of the prostate: a case report]

A 79-year-old man was admitted to our department with a chief complaint of urinary incontinence. The prostate was enlarged (145 cc), although the serum level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was within the normal range (1.09 ng/ml). Digital rectal examination showed an enlarged, irregular prostate with stony hardness. We performed a prostate biopsy and histological examinations indicated poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with a Gleason score of 5+5=10. A computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a prostatic tumor invading the bladder, seminal vesicle and rectum. He was diagnosed with a stage T4N1M0 adenocarcinoma of the prostate. He was started-on hormonal therapy, but died one month from the start of treatment. Histological and immunohistological examinations were repeated; suggesting small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate.