Poorly differentiated small cell carcinoma of the pancreas. A case report and review of the literature.
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.
Berkel
Simone
S
Department of Medicine II, Mannheim Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Hummel
Frank
F
Gaa
Jochen
J
Back
Walter
W
Hofheinz
Ralf
R
Queisser
Wolfgang
W
Singer
Manfred V
MV
Löhr
Matthias
M
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
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil