Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Bladder With Lymph Node Metastases: A Case Report

Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) of the bladder accounts for less than one percent of all bladder cancers and is a highly aggressive and rare tumor. Rapid progression, early metastatic spread, and generally poor prognosis are the defining characteristics. Although there is currently no standardized therapeutic consensus, management is based on a multimodal approach that combines systemic chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiotherapy. In this report, we report the case of a 62-year-old female patient who presented with metastatic neuroendocrine bladder cancer involving the lymph nodes, evidenced by the presence of inguinal lymphadenopathy. To confirm the tumor's neuroendocrine nature, the patient underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) with placement of double-J ureteral stents. First-line chemotherapy with etoposide and carboplatin was subsequently initiated. The histological rarity of neuroendocrine bladder carcinoma underscores the uniqueness of this case.