RESUMO

Resumen Los tumores de células pequeñas extrapulmonares pueden aparecer en múltiples órganos y forman una rara afección clínico-patológica de tumores neuroendocrinos, con gran proliferación epitelial y con comportamiento biológico agresivo. El tubo gastrointestinal es la fuente más común de tumores de células pequeñas extrapulmonares. Nuestro caso clínico describe un paciente con carcinoma de células pequeñas en la unión gastroesofágica, que fue diagnosticado en el contexto de sangrado de tubo digestivo alto. Se excluyó un tumor pulmonar primario; el paciente recibió quimioterapia, quimiorradioterapia y radioterapia cerebral profiláctica, con buena evolución clínica. Nuestro caso se trata de una rara afección clínica, lo que evidencia la importancia de diagnosticar enferemedades poco frecuentes. Existe poca evidencia en la bibliografía de cómo deben tratarse estos pacientes.

Abstract Extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas (EPSCC) can arise in multiple organ sites and form a rare clinicopathological entity of high proliferative epithelial neuroendocrine tumors with aggressive biological behavior. Gastrointestinal is the most common source of EPSCC. We report a case of gastroesophageal junction small cell carcinoma, which was diagnosed in the context of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A primary small cell lung carcinoma was excluded. Chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and prophylactic cranial radiotherapy were given, with good clinical outcome. Our case of a very rare condition highlights the importance of recognizing atypical pathologic diagnoses. More research needs to be conducted with EPSCC patients in order to better characterize disease pathogenesis, and an optimal disease management.

RESUMO

Solitary pulmonary nodule represents 0.2% of incidental findings in routine chest X-ray images. One of the main diagnoses includes lung cancer in which small-cell subtype has a poor survival rate. Recently, a new classification has been proposed including the very limited disease stage (VLD stage) or T1-T2N0M0 with better survival rate, specifically in those patients who are treated with surgery. However, current recommendations postulate that surgery remains controversial as a first-line treatment in this stage. We present the case of a 46-year-old female referred to our hospital with a preoperative diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule. On initial approach, a biopsy revealed a small cell lung cancer. She received multimodal therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, and prophylactic cranial irradiation and is currently alive without recurrence on a 2-year follow-up.