Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a single institution case review.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (NECC).

STUDY

DESIGN

All patients with NECC diagnosed between January 1990 and December, 2007 identified from the tumor registry and gynecological oncology databases at McGill University Health Centre comprised this series.

RESULTS

Eleven cases were encountered. Four patients were FIGO Stage Ib1, one Stage Ib2, one Stage IIa, and the other five were advanced stages (III or IV). Ten patients had marked lymph vascular space invasion. Metastasis to the pelvic or paraortic nodes was observed in eight patients. Seven patients were treated by surgery followed by adjuvant chemoradiation, another two had chemoradiation and the other two only received palliative treatments. The median survival was 18 months. All three long-term survival patients were Stage Ib1 without lymph node involvement.

CONCLUSION

NECC is an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis, and only early stages are potentially curable.