Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Primary Culture of Human Vestibular Schwannomas
Published on: July 20, 2014
Primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina
Rafael Oliveira1, Mayra Coelho Bócoli, João Carlos Saldanha
1Research Institute of Oncology (IPON), Discipline of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), Avenida Getúlio Guaritá 214, 38025-440 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
Abstract:
The primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina is rare, and it is a highly aggressive malignancy with no consensus regarding the treatment of this tumor. The survival rate for patients treated in the early stages is around two years. We related the case report of a patient of 41 years with a vegetative and necrotic lesion in left vaginal wall, in middle and upper third, and involvement of parametrium in its proximal third and medium third. A biopsy showed a small cell undifferentiated carcinoma composed of epithelial cells with round nuclei, oval or elongated, hyperchromatic nuclei, with little distinct nucleoli, and scarce cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for AE1/AE3, CD57, and chromogranin A. The patient received 6 cycles of chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide and radiotherapy, achieving complete response, with complete regression of the lesion. The patient had no sign of tumor recurrence and locoregional or distant metastases after 5 months of followup.
Related Concept Videos
Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Vagina
External Female Genitals
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...