SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF HUMAN ESOPHAGEAL MUCOSA IN PATIENTS WITH CARCINOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS

Specimens taken at surgery from 15 patients with carcinoma of the esop hagus were examined with scanning electron microscopy. Nine patients w ere treated with chemotherapy (cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil), surgery an d radiotherapy; one received preoperative radiotherapy only; and the r emaining five primary surgery only. Scanning electron microscopy was p erformed on specimens of both tumor tissue and the mucosa at least 5 c m from the tumor. In adjacent non-tumor tissue, damage due to treatmen t was observed in the form of changes in microridges and increased cel l loss. In tumor tissue, the degree of damage was correlated to tumor response to treatment. For patients with no residual tumor after treat ment, the ultrastructure was normalized with a low tumor score, while for patients with residual tumor, the score was high.