Small Cell Ovarian Carcinomas - Characterisation of Two Rare Tumor Entities

Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the female genital tract: A comprehensive overview

Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (SCNECs) of the female genital tract are rare and aggressive tumors that are characterized by a high rate of recurrence and poor prognosis. They can arise from various sites within the female genital tract, including the cervix, endometrium, ovary, fallopian tube, vagina, and vulva. They are composed of cells with neuroendocrine features, such as the ability to produce and secrete hormones and peptides, and a high mitotic rate. Immunohistochemical staining for neuroendocrine markers, such as chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56, can aid in the diagnosis of these tumors. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology, etiology, and risk factors associated with these tumors, as well as their clinical presentation, cellular characteristics, diagnosis, and finally the current treatment options for SCNECs, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, alone or in combination.

Lymphadenectomy Benefits Small Cell Carcinoma of Ovary: A Population-Based Analysis

Small cell carcinoma of the ovary (SCCO) is a rare type of ovarian cancer with high aggressiveness. The optimal treatment modality remains elusive. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the survival impact of clinical characteristics and treatments including lymphadenectomy in SCCO. A retrospective cohort study was performed and included patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Data collected included demographics, therapeutic details, and pathologic characteristics. Propensity-score matching analysis (PSM) was carried out to balance baseline variables between SCCO and non-SCCO. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier, and stratified analyses were conducted before and after PSM. After filtering, 80 records on SCCO and 39,662 records on non-SSCO were obtained. Patients with SCCO were more prone to present unilateral tumor (57.6% and 85.0%, p < 0.001), larger tumor size (>15 cm: 9.5% and 32.5%; 10-15 cm: 13.2% vs. 22.5%, p < 0.001), younger age (59.1 ± 14.91 vs. 37.2 ± 19.05; p < 0.001), single status (17.0% vs. 45.0%; p < 0.001), single malignant tumor in a lifetime (76.1% vs. 87.5%; p = 0.0244), and pathologic grade IV diseases (14.5% vs. 40.0%; p < 0.001) compared with non-SCCO. After balancing the baseline clinical characteristics with a 1:4 ratio PSM, a total of matched 72 patients with SCCO and 254 patients with non-SCCO were identified. The survival rate of SCCO was distinctly inferior to non-SCCO, particularly in FIGO I, II, and III stages. Lymphadenectomy was performed in 37 (51.39%) SCCO patients, of whom 12 (32.43%) were found to have pathologically positive lymph nodes. Lymphadenectomy was linked to favorable overall survival in SCCO, particularly in the advanced stage, and was also an independent prognostic factor, whereas lymphadenectomy did not reveal an edge in matched non-SCCO. There was a pronounced survival benefit for SCCO when at least 10 or more nodes were resected. Lymphadenectomy in a non-stage-dependent way should be considered and deserves further clinical validation to promote the overall survival in SCCO.

The puzzle of gynecologic neuroendocrine carcinomas: State of the art and future directions

Primary gynecologic neuroendocrine carcinomas (gNECs) are a heterogeneous spectrum of rare and highly aggressive neoplasms, accounting for about 2% of all gynecologic malignancies, which mostly resemble the small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Due to the lack of standardized treatment guidelines, their management poses a noteworthy clinical challenge. Currently, cumulative data retrieved from the management of SCLC and from retrospective studies supports a multimodality strategy, based on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, the prognosis remains poor and recurrences are extremely frequent. Hence, there is an urgent need for novel treatment options and promising molecular targets. Recently, there has been an increasing interest on the potential role of immune checkpoint inhibitors, especially in the recurrent setting. However, only scant evidence exists and there is still a long road ahead. A solid collaboration between gynecologists and oncologists worldwide is required to improve the treatment of these puzzling tumors.

CHALLENGES OF AN OVARIAN NEUROENDOCRINE METASTASIS OF ADVANCED SMALL-CELL LUNG CARCINOMA - LITERATURE REVIEW AND CASE REPORT

Metastatic tumors account for 5-10% of all ovarian malignancies. They are usually bilateral tumors with a multinodular surface and extensive extra ovarian spread. Lung cancer is a rare source (0.3% of metastatic ovarian tumors). Among synchronous primary cancers, ovarian cancer is most frequently associated with endometrial cancer. The differential diagnosis between a primary ovarian carcinoma, synchronous primary cancers, and metastatic ovarian carcinoma is very important, as the treatment and prognosis are markedly different. We report the case of a 25-year-old woman who had been diagnosed and treated for stage IIIB small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Imaging undertaken for abdominal pain revealed a unilateral 8.5 cm ovarian tumor for which adnexectomy was performed. Histology and immunohistochemistry led to the diagnosis of ovarian metastasis from SCLC, a high-grade neuroendocrine lung tumor. This patient's particular features, all infrequent in a metastatic tumor, are the lesion's unilaterality (atypical for ovarian metastases in other cancers, but often observed in SCLC), the smooth ovarian surface with intact capsule, and the absence of intra-abdominal dissemination. The patient developed liver and vertebral metastases. This report focuses on the differential diagnosis between primary and metastatic ovarian neoplasms. We performed an extensive search of the literature on SCLC and ovarian metastases. Immunohistochemistry is essential for diagnosis when imaging and the pathological evaluation of the ovarian tumor cannot make the differential diagnosis.

Clinical characteristics and survival of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma in 11 different primary tumor sites in the United States, 1975-2016

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have investigated extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) in a systematic way. This study is to analyze EPSCC in 11 tumor sites from different aspects in the United States (1975-2016).

METHODS

In total 4397 patients diagnosed with EPSCC in 11 primary tumor locations were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. The incidence of EPSCC in the last decade, and the 1, 3 and 5 year survival rates of each tumor site were also roughly calculated. Prognostic factors of EPSCC were investigated by Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Statistically, the incidence of EPSCC was on the rise over the past 30 years. Of its 11 primary tumor sites, bladder was the most frequently affected while the stomach and kidney were rarely affected. Males were more susceptible to EPSCC than females. Married patients were more commonly afflicted by EPSCC, but had longer survival. Cases were most intensive in California and an increased trend had been observed. The 5 year overall survival (OS) rate ranged from 2.0% to 42.5% in patients with EPSCC in 11 tumor sites (p < .001). The OS was better for EPSCC in the breast and cervix. However, tumor sites in the colon, esophagus, pancreas, rectum and stomach were all associated with worse survival. Characteristics and prognosis of EPSCC in different tumor sites were statistically significant (p < .001). Age, gender, marital status, stage, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were equally significant factors of survival of EPSCC patients (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

There was an increasing trend of EPSCC incidence. The survival of EPSCC in different tumor sites was significantly different. Tumor locations, age, gender, marital status, stage, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were all important factors of survival. This study has implications for EPSCC prevention and treatment.

Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary: Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Analysis of 7 New Cases of a Rare Malignancy

BACKGROUND

Small cell carcinoma of ovary (SCCO) is extremely rare. Two types of SCCO are recognized, the pulmonary type (SCCOPT) and the hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT). Establishing an accurate diagnosis is challenging, owing to its rarity and paucity of data describing the distinctive histopathologic and immunohistochemical (IHC) features.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study conducted over a period of 4 years. All cases reported as SCCO on histopathology were retrieved. All the available clinical, histopathological, and IHC features were studied in detail.

RESULTS

A total of 7 cases of SCCO were diagnosed during the study period. There were 4 cases of SCCOPT and 3 cases of SCCOHT and with mean age of 57.25 and 22 years, respectively. All the cases presented as stage IV disease. Among the SCCOPT cases, 3 showed bilateral involvement with 1 showing concurrent uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Microscopy revealed small hyperchromatic cells with brisk mitosis and multifocal necrosis. On IHC, these were consistently positive for chromogranin, CD56, and synaptophysin. All the SCCOHT cases showed unilateral involvement. Microscopically, in addition to small hyperchromatic cells, larger "rhabdoid" tumor cells were also seen. On IHC, chromogranin was negative, with positivity for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen. The expression of SMARCA4/BRG1 was lost while SMARCB1/INI1 was retained in all cases. All of these patients developed recurrence and died due to disease progression despite treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

SCCO is an extremely infrequent ovarian malignancy with poor prognosis. Knowledge about its characteristic features is important for accurate tissue diagnosis and appropriate management.

Differential Diagnosis of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary or Ovarian Metastases of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Small cell tumors arise from the neuroendocrine cell system and they are most frequently found in the lung (SCLC). Small cell tumor could occasionally arise in other body sites, such as the cervix, prostate, gastrointestinal tract, and very rarely from other sites. Metastatic SCLC patients present with metastatic disease in 80% of cases, and the metastases typically are reported in brain, liver, lung, and bone; they rarely could be found in the ovary. Differently, primitive small cell carcinoma of the ovary of pulmonary type is a rare and highly aggressive tumor arising from the ovarian cells; no suitable treatment strategy has been established yet. In this paper, we talk about a 72-year-old woman who presented with abdominal bleeding and a large mass in her pelvic region. A primary ovarian carcinoma was suspected, and she underwent hysterectomy with laparoscopic surgery and bilateral oophorectomy, lymph node resection, omentectomy, complementary appendix and sigmoid resection. The postoperative pathologic diagnosis was a differential diagnosis between small cell ovarian carcinoma of the pulmonary type and metastasis of SCLC.

Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary: A Rare Tumor With a Poor Prognosis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of women diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the ovary.

METHODS

The National Cancer Data Base was accessed, and women diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the ovary, between 2004 and 2014 were identified. Median and 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were calculated following generation of Kaplan-Meir curves and compared with the log-rank test. A Cox multivariate model was constructed to identify variables associated with mortality.

RESULTS

A total 469 women were identified with a median age of 39 years; 81.7% of tumors were unilateral, whereas median size was 13 cm. Only 20.1% of patients had stage I disease. Women who underwent cancer-directed surgery had a 5-year OS rate of 24.1%. Five-year OS rates were 48.6%, 30.7%, 18%, and 12.3% for those with stages I, II, III, and IV disease, respectively, P < 0.001. Younger age (P = 0.013) and the combination of surgery with chemotherapy (CT) (P < 0.001) were associated with superior OS. By multivariate analysis, earlier disease stage and use of CT, but not patient age or performance of lymphadenectomy, were associated with lower mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Small cell carcinomas of the ovary are unilateral tumors primarily arising in premenopausal women. Multimodal treatment with cancer-directed surgery and CT results in a modest increase of a generally poor survival.

The Cytoreductive Effect of Radiotherapy for Small Cell Ovarian Carcinoma of the Pulmonary Type: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Small cell ovarian carcinoma of the pulmonary type is a rare and highly aggressive tumor for which a suitable treatment strategy has not been established. A 45-year-old woman presented with abdominal swelling, and primary ovarian carcinoma was suspected. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was small cell ovarian carcinoma of the pulmonary type. She also had complicated grade 1 endometrioid carcinoma of the uterine corpus. Three courses of cisplatin and etoposide therapy were administered as adjuvant chemotherapy. Because the tumor was chemotherapy resistant, she underwent palliative abdominal irradiation at a dose of 26 Gy in 13 fractions, which induced cytoreduction and provided symptomatic relief. She died 4 months after surgery. Lactate dehydrogenase was a useful tumor marker during treatment. Here, we present an extremely rare case of a patient with small cell ovarian carcinoma of the pulmonary type treated with radiotherapy after surgery and chemotherapy.

Small cell cancers of the female genital tract: Molecular and clinical aspects

OBJECTIVE

Extra-pulmonary small cell carcinomas of the gynecologic tract (EPSCC-GTs) are a rare group of aggressive malignancies associated with poor prognoses and limited treatment options. Here, we review the clinical and molecular aspects of EPSCC-GTs and discuss how understanding their molecular features can assist in their diagnosis and the identification of novel effective treatments.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and Scopus for articles using the following keywords: "small cell carcinoma" in combination with "neuroendocrine", "ovary", "vagina", "fallopian tube", "vulva", "endometrium", "uterus", "cervix", or "gynecologic". Articles were limited to those published in English from January 1984 to October 2017.

RESULTS

EPSCC-GTs account for 2% of all gynecologic malignancies. The molecular features of EPSCC-GTs are largely understudied and unknown, with the exception of small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) and SCC of the cervix (SCCC). In nearly all cases, SCCOHT displays mutation in a single gene, SMARCA4, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. The loss of expression of the SWI/SNF protein SMARCA2 is another feature of SCCOHT. Dual negative staining for SMARCA2 and SMARCA4 is specific for SCCOHT and is generally used by gynecologic pathologists for the accurate diagnosis of this malignancy. Mutational analysis of SCCC has shown alterations in PIK3CA, KRAS and TP53, of which the last is the most common, although other actionable mutations have been identified. The molecular features of other EPSCC-GTs are largely unknown.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to their rarity, the majority of EPSCC-GTs are understudied and poorly understood. As demonstrated in the case of SCCOHT, unraveling the mutational profiles of these tumors can lead to improved diagnosis and the identification of novel therapeutic targets.