Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Against Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Colon with Duodenal Invasion; Report of a Case

Yasuhiro Tsutani, Hideki Aoki, Masao Harano, Hiroshi Sasaki, Tadashi Onoda, Shigehiro Shiozaki, Satoshi Ohno, Motoki Ninomiya, Norihisa Takakura and Tomoko Seguchi*

Department of Surgery, Hiroshima City Hospital
The Second Department of Pathology, Miyazaki Medical College*

We report a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon that responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A 38-year-old man admitted for acute myocardial infarction with anemia was found in detailed examination to have neuroendocrine carcinoma of the transverse colon with duodenal invasion. CT showed rapid growth of right upper abdominal tumor resulting in ileus. After temporizing ileostomy, a combination of cisplatin (CDDP) and CPT-11 was given as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Post chemotherapy CT showed tumor disappearance and radical right hemicolectomy, partial duodenectomy, and cholecystectomy were done. Histopathological examination of surgical specimens showed that only a few carcinoma cells remained in the mucous membrane of the colon, which was histologically Grade 2. After combined CDDP and CPT-11 adjuvant chemotherapy, he was discharged. To date, 14 months after surgery, there is no evidence of recurrence. Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon has very poor prognosis and radical treatment cannot be achieved by surgical therapy alone. Combined therapy including neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be effective in fighting this disease.

Key words
neuroendocrine carcinoma, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, colon cancer

Reprint requests
Yasuhiro Tsutani Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organigation, Shikoku Cancer Center
13 Horinouchi, Matsuyama, 790-0007 JAPAN

Accepted
February 25, 2004

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