Experience of the treatment with gemcitabine, docetaxel, and carboplatin (GDC) chemotherapy for patients with small-cell carcinoma of the prostate

Small-cell carcinoma of the prostate (SCCP) is a rare entity. Many treatment modalities have been done, but thus far no uniform treatment has been clearly established. We carried out combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine, docetaxel, and carboplatin (GDC) regimen (for two patients with refractory SCCP. Case 1 involved a 53-year-old man diagnosed with SCCP after receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer (stage D1). Six cycles of GDC chemotherapy was applied. Initially the primary site reduced according with a decline of neuro-specific enolase and with relief of the symptoms; however, bone disease occurred and he died of cancer 13 months after diagnosis of SCCP. Case 2 involved a 69-year-old man complaining of severe anal pain. He underwent a biopsy and a huge prostate tumor showing SCCP was showed. He had pelvic node metastases but no distant lesions, and received four cycles of GDC chemotherapy. He was discharged after receiving subsequent radiotherapy and remained stable for a while; however, he died of possible drug-induced hepatitis. This is the first report of chemotherapy with GDC against patients with SCCP. This regimen raised the possibility that it would intensify the outcome, which had been poorly achieved.