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Small cell carcinoma of the cervix: analysis of clinical and pathological findings
1Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taiwan.
Purpose Of Investigation:
An attempt to better identify small cell carcinoma of the cervix and evaluate its prognosis.
Methods:
From January of 1970 to March of 1995, a total of seven patients diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the cervix by pathologic revision were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical information including age, clinical stage, lymph-vascular space invasion, lymph node metastases, prognoses were analyzed.
Results:
All specimens stained positive for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and four were positive for chromogranin (CGR). The majority of patients (71%) died of disease within 18 months. Only one patient had an abnormal Pap smear before definite diagnosis, and only one patient was well and alive after a combination of surgery and multi-agent chemotherapy (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
Pap smears may not be an appropriate screening method for detecting small cell carcinoma of the cervix. Immunohistological staining may be helpful in diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the cervix. Because of a very poor prognosis, more effective therapeutic protocol should be further defined in the management of cervical small cell carcinoma.