Small cell cervical cancer: an unusual finding at cholecystectomy.
BACKGROUND
Small cell carcinoma of the cervix is a rare cancer, comprising less than 3% of all cervical neoplasms. It uniformly has a poor prognosis, and has a high mortality even with early stage disease. It can metastasise rapidly and metastatic sites include lung, liver, brain, bone, pancreas and lymph nodes.


METHODS
Here, we report the case of a 60-year-old woman with no symptoms of cervical pathology who developed post-renal failure following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The cause was bilateral ureteric obstruction from metastatic small cell cervical cancer and metastases were subsequently found on her gallbladder specimen.


CONCLUSIONS
This is an unusual presentation of small cell cervical cancer and demonstrates the aggressive nature of this disease.
Department of Surgery, Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland. emboyle@rcsi.ie
Emily
E
Boyle
Emeka
E
Nzewi
Iqbal
I
Khan
Musallam
M
Al-Akash
Paul
P
Crotty
Paul C
PC
Neary
D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014516:Ureteral Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology