Ovarian pulmonary-type small cell carcinoma: case report and review of the literature

Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2013 Sep;32(5):464-70. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e31826d7ea8.

Abstract

Ovarian pulmonary-type small cell carcinoma is a rare and extremely aggressive neoplasm. We report the occurrence of an ovarian small cell carcinoma of pulmonary type in a 54-year-old woman. She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and infracolic omentectomy. A diagnosis of stage IIIA pulmonary-type small cell carcinoma was rendered. The tumor appeared to be composed of a solid growth of small cells arranged in sheets and closely packed nests with insular arrangements separated by a fibrous stroma. The tumor cells had hyperchromatic nuclei with inconspicuous nucleoli and scanty cytoplasm. Rosette and rosette-like structures were scattered. Immunohistochemical staining showed positivity for synaptophysin, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), and focally for chromogranin. Cytokeratin and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were also positive. Over 80% of the tumor cells showed strong reactivity for MIB-1. Electron microscopy showed neuroendocrine granules. She was effectively treated with paclitaxel plus carboplatin after the surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / surgery
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Keratins / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / surgery
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / surgery
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • NSMCE1 protein, human
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Keratins
  • Carboplatin
  • MIB1 ligase, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Paclitaxel