Abstract
Background : Small cell carcinoma of the endometrium is rare, and tumors may be mixed with other endometrial malignancies such as adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, or mixed mullerian tumors. We report a case of endometrial small cell carcinoma mixed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma presenting with cerebellar metastasis.
Case : A 41-year-old woman admitted for a cerebellar tumor was found in histological examination to have suspected metastatic small cell carcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an endometrial tumor and multiple uterine myomas. Cervical cytology showed small atypical cells with scanty cytoplasm and nuclear pleomorphism, while endometrial cytology showed adenocarcinoma cells with mild to moderate atypia and small atypical cells. Histological examination showed small cell carcinoma coexisting with endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Small tumor cells with finely distributed chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and scant cytoplasm showed focal immunoreactivity with neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56.
Conclusion : Because most subjects with endometrial small cell carcinoma face a dismal prognosis, detection of a small cell carcinoma component by endometrial cytology in endometrial carcinoma is an important prognostic factor.
