Small cell carcinoma of the bladder: Our experience

OBJECTIVES: Small cell carcinoma of the bladder shows low incidence and poor survival; thus, treatment algorithms based on randomized studies are unavailable. The aim of the present study is to review our case series. METHODS: Observational retrospective study of 10 patients diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the bladder between 2006 and 2013. RESULTS: Mean age was 65.7 years; There was only one female in the cohort. In all cases hematuria was the fist symptom. 4 cases presented high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma with small cell carcinoma. Radical cystectomy was performed in 40% patients, in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both. Median and only one patient showed complete response. CONCLUSIONS: Even when small cell carcinoma of the bladder is a low incidence tumor, its prognosis is worse than that of urothelial carcinoma. Although further randomized studies are needed to best define treatment, this study shows that survival at local stages is optimized by neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by radical resection, as the literature suggests.