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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · AJP Rep 2024; 14(01): e22-e25
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777998
Case Report

Small Cell Cervical Carcinoma in Pregnancy: Therapeutic Options for an Aggressive Cancer Diagnosis

Alyssa Savelli Binsted 
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
,
Zeinab Kassem
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
,
David Le 
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
,
Margarita de Veciana
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
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Abstract

Neuroendocrine small cell cervical carcinoma is an aggressive cancer which accounts for approximately 1 to 3% of all cervical neoplasms. Therapy must be altered in pregnancy to optimize maternal–fetal outcomes. A 39-year-old woman presented for a routine prenatal visit and was noted to have a grossly abnormal cervix. Cervical biopsies confirmed small cell carcinoma. At 19 weeks' gestation, chemotherapy was initiated. The patient delivered at 34 weeks' gestation to initiate radiation therapy. Six months later, she was diagnosed with metastatic disease and died from cancer complications. In pregnancy, treatment modalities for small cell cervical carcinoma are based on the patient's gestational age at diagnosis. While aggressive early treatment is preferred, platinum-based chemotherapy can be initiated in the second trimester and radiation therapy delayed until delivery. Small cell cervical carcinoma complicating pregnancy requires aggressive treatment. Chemotherapy in the second trimester with planned delayed radiation therapy, may optimize fetal outcomes.

Keywords

small cell carcinoma - cervical cancer in pregnancy - small cell cervical carcinoma in pregnancy - management - small cell cervical cancer - therapy


Publication History

Received: 31 December 2020

Accepted: 22 October 2023

Article published online:
23 January 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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