Published online Aug 28, 2020. doi: 10.13105/wjma.v8.i4.285
Peer-review started: March 11, 2020
First decision: June 18, 2020
Revised: July 30, 2020
Accepted: August 22, 2020
Article in press: August 22, 2020
Published online: August 28, 2020
Processing time: 183 Days and 1.1 Hours
Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) is an extremely aggressive tumor and mainly occurs in the lung. Primary extra-pulmonary SNEC is rare. To date, only 11 primary SNECs occurring in the oral cavity have been reported in the English literature. We describe a case of primary SNEC of the right posterior tongue in a 46-year-old man. The patient had stage IVA disease and received adjuvant chemotherapy, followed by radical surgery and radiotherapy. He remained tumor-free for 20 mo before death due to gastrointestinal metastasis. The relevant literature on the 11 previously reported patients was reviewed, and the clinical features, histopathological characteristics, differential diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of this rare tumor were analyzed.
Core Tip: Primary extra-pulmonary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) is extremely rare. There are only 11 primary SNECs occurring in the oral cavity reported in the English literature. This time, we describe a case of primary SNEC of the right posterior tongue in a 46-year-old man. The treatment of this patient is described in detail. The relevant literature of the 11 previously reported patients was reviewed, and the clinical features, histopathological characteristics, differential diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of this rare tumor were analyzed.