title: High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon, long-term survival in advanced disease.
abstract: A 72-year-old man was diagnosed with a poorly differentiated hepatic flexure mass seen on routine screening colonoscopy. He underwent a right hemicolectomy and biopsy of a liver lesion noted at laparotomy. Pathology revealed a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma in the primary tumor and the liver lesion. Post-operative imaging revealed an isolated FDG avid liver metastases which had not been appreciated pre-operatively. He was treated with combination platinum and etoposide for extensive stage small-cell carcinoma of the colon. After 6 cycles of chemotherapy, the isolated liver lesion remained FDG avid, albeit less than baseline. Radiofrequency ablation of the avid liver lesion was performed. Further, chemotherapy was given as the lesion remained FDG avid. Ablation was repeated and a subsequent biopsy was positive. Chemotherapy resumed for a total of 10 cycles. Repeat PET scan became negative and the patient remains disease-free 7 years from an initial diagnosis of extensive stage small-cell colon cancer with a negative PET scan. Aggressive locoregional treatment is an option in patients with extensive stage small-cell carcinoma of the colon who are left with an oligometastasis after platinum-based systemic chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, Howard 916, New York, NY 10021, USA. drdgpower@gmail.com
authors.forename: Derek G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Asmis
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kemeny
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D013997:Time Factors