Primary small cell carcinoma of the bladder in which the bladder preservation was achieved by chemotherapy and transurethral resection

A 78-year-old man was referred to our hospital for asymptomatic gross hematuria on April 16, 2007. Cystoscopy and abdominal computed tomography revealed a nonpapillary tumor at the upper area of the bladder. Abdominal and thoracic computed tomography showed no lymph nodes and no metastasis to other organs. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) was performed, and a pathological diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the bladder at stage pT2N0M0 was made. Considering the patient's age and the location of the tumor, we administered chemotherapy using carboplatin and etoposide after resection of the tumor. After 2 courses of chemotherapy, a second-look TURBT was performed, and pathological examination showed no viable tumor cells. Cystoscopy performed after 3 months revealed recurrence of a nonpapillary tumor at a different area of the bladder. We performed TURBT and made a pathological diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the bladder at stage pT1N0M0. The patient was free from disease in January 2011.