Primary treatment and prognostic factors of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Eur J Cancer. 2012 Jul;48(10):1484-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2011.12.014. Epub 2012 Jan 13.

Abstract

Background: Our aims were to investigate the treatment and clinicopathological variables in relation to prognosis in small cell neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (SCNECC).

Patients and methods: Clinical data of SCNECC patients with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages I-IV treated between 1987 and 2009 at member hospitals of the Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (TGOG) were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Of the 179 eligible patients, 104 were of FIGO stage I, 19 stage IIA, 23 stage IIB, 9 stage III, and 24 stage IV. The median failure-free survival (FFS) was 16.0 months, and the median cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 24.8 months. In multivariate analysis, FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis were selected as independent variables in stages I-IV. In stages IIB-IVB, primary treatment containing etoposide and platinum for at least 5 cycles (EP5+) (n=16) was associated with significantly better 5-year FFS (42.9% versus 11.8%, p=0.041) and CSS (45.6% versus 17.1%, p=0.035) compared to other treatments (n=40). Furthermore, concurrent chemoradiation with EP5+ (CCRT-EP5+) was associated with even better 5-year FFS (62.5% versus 13.1%, p=0.025) and CSS (75.0% versus 16.9%, p=0.016).

Conclusions: FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis are significant prognostic factors in SCNECC. In stages IIB-IVB, CCRT-EP5+ might be the treatment of choice, which could be also true for earlier stages. Despite limitations of a retrospective study spanning a long time period and heterogeneous managements, the results provide an important basis for designing future prospective studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / therapy*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Prognosis
  • Registries
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Taiwan
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy*