Colorectal Cancer: Open Access

Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Anorectal Region: About a Case Report and Review of the Literature

The histological study showed small, malignant cells with hyper chromatic nuclei and rare cytoplasm on hematoxylin eosin staining. Carcinoids of the anorectic region are rare, with an incidence of 0.14% of all rectal tumors and 0.7% of malignant tumors. They occur more easily in the second half of life. They are usually located in the colorectal area; their size is most often less than 2 cm. They are usually non-secreting and have a good prognosis poorly differentiated NETs or small cell carcinomas are even rarer, around 30 cases described in the literature. They represent less than 1% of cancers of the anorectal region. For some, they represent less than 0.2% of colorectal cancers. But it is difficult to estimate the real share of small cell carcinomas within anorectal cancers because of problems of definition, terminology (small cell carcinoma for some, oat cell carcinoma for others) and also the difficulty of diagnosis, especially before the use of immunohistochemistry [8]. The site of these tumors is difficult to determine, the anal canal itself or the lower rectum: we then speak more readily of anorectal tumors. The largest studies of NETs often even include the colon and rectum.

Author(s):

N Filali* , S Elmouhtadi, S Harrak, H Errihani

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