title: Review of small cell carcinoma of the kidney with focus on clinical and pathobiological aspects.
abstract: Small cell carcinoma (SmCC) of the kidney is extremely rare. In this article, we present a review of SmCC of the kidney with the focus on clinical and pathobiological aspects. Macroscopically, this tumor often shows a bulky mass extensively replacing the renal parenchyma with vascular invasion and metastasis to lymph nodes. Histologically, the tumor is composed of small cells with scant cytoplasm, round to oval nuclei, finely granular chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. Rosette or tubular formation may be present. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells show variable positivity for neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD57 (Leu7) and CD56. A dot-like staining pattern for cytokeratin may also be observed. An electron microscopic examination may identify electron-dense neurosecretory granules in the cytoplasm. As a therapeutic option, nephrectomy and systemic chemotherapy should be considered. However, despite multimodal therapy, most patients have a dismal outcome and die of widely metastatic disease within one to two years. As there are limited genetic data on SmCC of the kidney, a large series studying this will be needed in the future.
authors.affiliation: Naoto Kuroda Department of Diagnostic Pathology Kochi Red Cross Hospital, Shin-honmachi 2-13-51 Kochi City, Kochi 780-8562, Japan tel. +81-88-822-1201 fax +81-88-822-1056 e-mail: kurochankochi@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Takeru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamashima
authors.forename: Chisato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohe
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perez-Montiel
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petersson
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michal
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hes
mesh_terms: D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis