title: Poorly differentiated small cell carcinoma of the pancreas. A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the pancreas is a rare malignancy with an extremely poor prognosis. We present the case of a 74-year-old man with a 2-month history of upper abdominal discomfort who was diagnosed with SCC of the pancreas tail, involvement of peripancreatic and mesenteric lymph nodes and multiple liver metastases (extended disease). A CT scan and a positive somatostatin receptor scintigraphy showed no evidence of a primary lung tumour. The diagnosis of a SCC was confirmed by biopsy. Local tumour control could be achieved by gemcitabine once a week and a long-acting somatostatin analogue once a month, but liver metastasis showed progress. Thus, 5-fluorouracil on a weekly basis was started. The patient died 8 months after diagnosis and had not been hospitalised in the meantime.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Mannheim Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berkel
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaa
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofheinz
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Queisser
authors.forename: Manfred V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löhr
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil