title: Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the uterine cervix: A clinicopathological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is a rare entity of uterine cervical carcinoma. Most of them have a more aggressive course and worse prognosis than a common type squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, precise diagnosis is very crucial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study clinicopathological correlation and immunohistochemistry of uterine cervical NEC MATERIAL AND METHOD: All primary uterine cervical carcinomas from a 51-month period were histopathologically reviewed. Suspicious NECs were retrieved and immunohistochemically studiedfor chromogranin, synaptophysin, non-specific esterase (NSE) and CD56. Clinical information including treatments and mean disease free survival time were obtainedfrom chart review
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen (3.5%) cases of NEC were identified from 389primary uterine cervical carcinomas between October 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006 and classified into small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC, 8 cases), large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LNEC, 3 cases), mixed SNEC and adenocarcinoma (2 cases), and mixed SNEC anid squamous cell carcinoma (1 case). All NEC presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. The median age was 44 years (34-75 years). Exophytic mass was noted in 11 patients (78.6%). Five patients (36%) had distant metastases. All cases were immunoreactive for at least two neuroendocrine markers. Nine cases (64.3%) were positive for chromogranin, 11 (78.6%) for synaptophysin, 12 (85. 7%) for NSE, and 11 (78.6%) for CD56. CD56 was positive in eight of 11 SNEC cases. The mean disease free interval and overall survival time were 17.5 and 23.9 months, respectively
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix is rare and has poor prognosis. In addition to histopathology, panel ofimmunohistochemistry is mandatory in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma. Varying results of immunohistochemistry may be found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. panittasi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Panitta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sitthinamsuwan
authors.forename: Napat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Angkathunyakul
authors.forename: Tuenjai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chuangsuwanich
authors.forename: Perapong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Inthasorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D043182:Carboxylesterase / Q000032:analysis; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology*; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000032:analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002864:Chromogranins; D016708:Synaptophysin; D043182:Carboxylesterase