Small cell carcinoma
history,| , Image = Lung small cell carcinoma (1) by core needle biopsy.jpg | , Caption = Histopathologic image of small cell carcinoma of the lung. CT-guided core needle biopsy. H & E stain. | , OMIM = | , OMIM_mult = | , MedlinePlus = 000122 | , eMedicineSubj = med | , eMedicineTopic = 1336 | , DiseasesDB = | , MeshID = D018288 | }} Small cell carcinoma is a type of highly malignant carcinoma usually associated with the lung, though it can be associated with other topographies, such as in cervical cancer.
Types
Lung
When associated with the lung, it is sometimes called "oat cell carcinoma" due to the flat cell shape and scanty cytoplasm.
It is thought to originate from neuroendocrine cells (APUD cells) in the bronchus called Feyrter cells (named for Friedrich Feyrter), and often leads to ectopic production of hormones ADH and ACTH.
It is more metastatic than non-small cell lung carcinoma (and hence staged differently) and is sometimes seen in combination with squamous cell carcinomas.
Smoking is a significant etiological factor.
Symptoms and signs are as for other lung cancers.
Prostate
In the prostate, small cell carcinoma is a rare form of cancer. Due to the fact that there is little variation in prostate specific antigen levels, this form of cancer is normally diagnosed at an advanced stage.
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Additional images
- »Neuroimmunology - by Abid R Karim, Birmingham UK, at University of Birmingham Medical School
- »Image at Tulane University