Extrapulmonary Small Cell Carcinoma Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Irfan Maghfoor, MD; Chief Editor: Jules E Harris, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 28, 2012
 

History

Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm that enlarges rapidly and disseminates early in the course of illness. Due to multiplicity of sites where it can arise, there are no symptoms or signs specifically attributable to extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma. Patients may present with constitutional symptoms of fatigue, weakness, fever, weight loss, and night sweats. They may also have symptoms referable to the organ of origin, for instance hematuria in cases of bladder tumor, abdominal pain with or without obstruction with small or large bowel involvement, or hoarseness with laryngeal involvement.

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Physical

Physical findings are again limited by the organ system involved and may include prostatic enlargement, skin nodules in case of Merkel cell carcinoma, or enlargement of regional draining lymph nodes.

As with pulmonary small cell carcinoma, paraneoplastic syndromes have been described with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma. Most common of these are hypercalcemia, syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, and secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone, and patients may present with symptoms and signs of excess calcium, hyponatremia, or corticosteroid excess depending upon the severity and rate of development of endocrine abnormality.

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Causes

Etiology of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma is unknown. While some authors have reported an association with tobacco smoking, others have not found a strong causative correlation with tobacco.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Irfan Maghfoor, MD  Consulting Oncologist, Department of Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Saudi Arabia

Irfan Maghfoor, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Hematology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Robert C Shepard, MD, FACP  Associate Professor of Medicine in Hematology and Oncology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Vice President of Scientific Affairs, Therapeutic Expertise, Oncology, at PRA International

Robert C Shepard, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Physician Executives, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Federation for Medical Research, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, American Society of Hematology, Association of Clinical Research Professionals, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, European Society for Medical Oncology, Massachusetts Medical Society, and Society for Biological Therapy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP  Southwest Medical Consultants, SC, Department of Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Health Systems

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jules E Harris, MD  Clinical Professor of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Arizona Cancer Center

Jules E Harris, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Immunologists, American Society of Hematology, and Central Society for Clinical Research

Disclosure: GlobeImmune Salary Consulting

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