title: Coexistence of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Women now constitute 28% of new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Cervical cancer in HIV-infected women has a high recurrence and death rate, as well as decreased intervals to recurrence and death. Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the cervix are characterized by a high frequency of early nodal and distant metastases. We present the first report of a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix in an HIV-positive patient. A 28 year old with a 9-year history of HIV succumbed to metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix 5 months after diagnosis. Given the aggressive nature of the cell type, an extended metastatic workup should be considered prior to surgery. The immune suppression present in HIV-positive patients with neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma may make such a workup particularly crucial, such that surgery is offered only to those who can be expected to benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balega
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ulbright
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Look
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D010166:Palliative Care; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology