Background: Small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the pancreas is a rare entity, with only a few cases reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide (CE) in SCC of the pancreas.
Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of four patients diagnosed with SCC among 279 patients with malignant pancreatic tumors treated between 2000 and 2007. All patients were treated with combination chemotherapy using a schedule consisting of intravenous (IV) carboplatin (150 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and IV etoposide (80 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 2, and 3 every 28 days.
Results: Pathological diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in all patients. Three patients treated with the combination chemotherapy achieved remission, two with a complete response and one with a partial response. The remaining one patient showed no change. One of the two patients with a complete response survived for 56 months following the diagnosis.
Conclusions: Combination chemotherapy with CE may be effective for the treatment of SCC of the pancreas; EUS-FNA plays an important role in distinguishing SCC from other pancreatic malignancies, leading to the appropriate treatment being given.