Introduction: Extra-pulmonary small cell carcinoma (ESCC) is as a pathologic entity distinct from small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). ESCC is considered a systemic disease in its origin, so the therapeutic approach is similar to SCLC with chemotherapy being considered in case of extensive and local disease. We present a retrospective comparison of ESCC and SCLC in our institution.
Material and methods: Using the tumour registry database of Hospital Universitario La Fe we reviewed 24 ESCC cases receiving attention between 1987 and 2003, and these were compared with a series of 341 patients with SCLC in the same institution.
Results: Of the 24 patients with ESCC 19 were men and 5 were women with an average age of 58 years (range 23 to 85). The most frequent site was the mediastinum with 58% having extensive disease. All patients but one received treatment. The therapeutic approaches were local and systemic in 13 patients, systemic alone in 6 and local alone in 4. Schedules based on platinum and etoposide were used. The median follow-up was 53 months (range 4 to 211). Median survival was 18.9 months; 30 in patients with local disease and 8 in those with extensive disease. In the SCLC series of patients, there were 336 men and 5 women; 62% having extensive disease. The median survival was 10 months; 12 months in those patients with local disease and 8 in those with extensive disease.
Conclusions: The overall survival of patients with ESCC was slightly better than patients with SCLC. ESCC with local disease had a better survival outcome than SCLC with local disease. Chemotherapy is the cornerstone of the treatment, but sometimes local treatment could be sufficient.