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Small cell carcinoma of the gallbladder
T L Moskal1, P J Zhang, H R Nava
1Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery and Endoscopy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA.
Journal of Surgical Oncology
|February 16, 1999
Summary
Small cell carcinoma of the gallbladder is rare but aggressive. Aggressive treatment combining surgery and chemotherapy may improve survival for this rare gallbladder cancer.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Small cell carcinoma of the gallbladder is a rare malignancy with a historically poor prognosis.
- This study reviews 36 previously reported cases and presents 5 new cases to clarify its clinical behavior.
Observation:
- The malignancy predominantly affects elderly females (median age 65, 76% female) and is often associated with cholelithiasis (72%).
- Metastasis commonly occurs to lymph nodes (88%) and liver (88%), with a median survival of 4 months for combined tumors and 9 months for pure tumors.
Findings:
- Newly reported cases managed aggressively with surgery and chemotherapy demonstrated a significantly improved median survival of 31 months.
- Aggressive multimodality therapy, particularly surgery and chemotherapy, shows potential for improved outcomes.
Implications:
- Small cell carcinoma of the gallbladder, while distinct, shares similarities with adenocarcinoma in its natural history and spread.
- Aggressive treatment strategies are recommended to improve survival rates for patients diagnosed with this rare cancer.