Primary gastric small cell carcinoma, report of a case

Abstract

A 81-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for detailed evaluation of a gastric cancer. An upper gastrointestinal radiograph and gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a large, Borrman type II tumor, which was located from the cardia to the upper body. The endoscopic biopsy specimens showed small cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and scant cytoplasm, which showed positive staining for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and chromogranin A. No squamoid or glandular pattern was observed. The tumor was diagnosed as a primary advanced gastric small cell carcinoma, pure type.
Because of metastatic foci in the liver and lung, chemotherapy composed of irinotecan and cisplatin, which was an effective treatment for metastatic small-cell lung cancer, was performed. But, the patient died four months after admission. We reviewed the clinicopathological aspects of this disease.