Small cell carcinoma of the endometrium: A case report with circulating tumor cell clusters

Abstract Primary small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the endometrium is a rare neuroendocrine tumor with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis, and no effective therapeutic method and prognosis monitoring were established. Circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters have been asscociated with increasing metastatic potential and poor prognosis in malignant tumor. Here we presented a case of a 65-year-old woman with primary SCC of the endometrium diagnosed as stage IIIC. The patient received hysterosalpingo-oophorectom, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the condition of the patient grew worse, and rapidly distant metastasis occured in supraclavicular lymph nodes. When we detcted the number of CTC in the patient’s blood, CTC clusters were found. Moreover, plakoglobin exhibited positivity. Finally, the patient died four months after the surgery. It was speculated that CTC clusters could be a prognostic factor and therapeutic target of primary SCC of the endometrium.