B. Zachariah et al., BRAIN METASTASIS FROM PRIMARY SMALL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE, The American journal of the medical sciences, 308(3), 1994, pp. 177-179
Primary small cell carcinoma of the prostate (SCCP) is rare. Natural h
istory of this tumor is similar to that of bronchogenic small cell car
cinoma. A majority of patients with SCCP have distant metastasis at pr
esentation. Because the disease is rapidly fatal, the incidence of bra
in metastasis from SCCP is not known. A case of primary SCCP with mult
iple subcutaneous and lymph node metastases is presented. The patient
failed to respond to systemic hormone therapy but had a near complete
response to multiple agent chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide
, adriamycin, and vincristine. Multiple brain metastases subsequently
developed, and he responded poorly to cranial irradiation. The clinica
l behavior of this cancer being similar to that of bronchogenic small
cell carcinoma, it supports the recommendation of computerized axial t
omography of the brain to be included in the staging workup of patient
s with SCCP. Prophylactic cranial irradiation might be of value in pat
ients with a complete response to chemotherapy.