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Small cell carcinoma arising from the proximal urethra
Author(s) -
RUDLOFF UDO,
AMUKELE SAMUEL A.,
MOLDWIN ROBERT,
QIAO XIAOYING,
MORGENSTERN NORA
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1442-2042
pISSN - 0919-8172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2004.00851.x
Subject(s) - histogenesis , medicine , urethra , differential diagnosis , metastasis , carcinoma , pathology , small cell carcinoma , immunohistochemistry , urology , cancer
Primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lower urinary tract are distinctly rare, locally aggressive neoplasms with a high rate of metastasis. We present a case of primary small cell carcinoma of the urethra occurring in a 64‐year‐old man. The clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of urethral small cell carcinoma are highlighted with respect to the differential diagnosis of neuroendocrine and other urethral tumors. The possible histogenesis of urethral small cell carcinoma, reported at this location in only a small number of cases, is briefly discussed. We favor an origin from pluripotent epithelial stem cells as one of the possible histogenic pathways.