Purpose
To report survival prognostic factors and explore the value of adjuvant therapy in patients with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder (SCNEC).
Methods
Data of patients diagnosed with SCNEC in published by the SEER from 2004 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed, and survival rate and prognostic factors were statistically analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. The propensity matching score (PSM) was used to balance the baseline characteristics between two group.
Results
A total of 1227 patients with SCNEC were included in this study. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 21.2%, and the cancer-specific survival rate (CSS) was 30.3%. The results of univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that age, race, AJCC staging, TNM stage, surgery, and chemotherapy were significantly associated with OS and CSS. After multivariate Cox regression analysis, age over 75, race, AJCC staging VA/B, M1 stage, and chemotherapy were identified as independent prognostic factors. The PSM method was performed to balance prognostic factors and match patients. The results of subgroup analysis indicated that postoperative radiotherapy significantly decreased the OS of patients with the M0 stage (P = 0.041) or T1-2 stage (P = 0.011).
Conclusion
Age over 75 years old, race, AJCC staging VA/B, M1 stage, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for SCNEC. Postoperative radiotherapy was not recommended for patients with the M1 stage or T1-2 stage.