Clinicopathological study of 5 cases with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix

Objective To study the clinical and pathological features of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix(SCCC).Methods Clinical data,pathological changes,immunohistochimical and in situ hybridization histochemistry results were reviewed in 5 cases of SCCC.Results The average age was 43 years,and the main symptoms were vaginal bleeding.microscopically,these carcinomas showed infiltrating margins,small and round or spindle-shaped cells,scant cytoplasm,hyperchromatic nuclei,finely granular nuclear chromatin,absent or inconspicuous nucleoli,brisk mitotic activity and extensive necrosis.Three cases were associated with high-differentiated adenocarcinoma and two of them with HPV16/18 infection.SCCC respond positively to at least 2 of neuroendocrine markers.Conclusion SCCC is a rare but distinct HPV related cervical carcinoma,and often intermixed with a clonally related non-small cell component consisting of adenocarcinoma or squamous carcinoma.The presence of SCCC has an extremely aggressive biological behavior with a rapid clinical course.Neuroendocrine markers used in immunochemical methods were helpful to diagnosis.