Neuroendocrine tumors of the uterine cervix - Clinicopathologic study of five patients

Four main clinicopathologic features of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the cervix may be stressed: primary diagnosis at an advanced stage, early noda l metastasis even for low disease, early failure of appropriate local treat ment (surgery and/or radiation therapy) and aggressive clinical treatment. Five patients with NET of the uterine cervix (small cell carcinoma type) ar e reported (one stage I, two stages II, one stage III and one stage IV). On e patient was treated by surgery combined with radiation therapy, one by su rgery combined with chemotherapy and one by surgery with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Two patients received radiation therapy alone. Three earl y stage patients are alive with no evidence of disease 8, 26 and 41 months after diagnosis. The two patients with advanced stage died of disease, 3 an d 12 months respectively, after diagnosis. Combination chemotherapy (cispla tin and etoposide) is warranted in disseminated NETs. Neoadjuvant or adjuva nt chemotherapy should be combined with radiation therapy and surgery even in early stages. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved .