Effective treatment with chemotherapy and surgical resection for small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: Report of a case

We report on a patient with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus treated w ith effective combination chemotherapy followed by surgical resection. A 69 year-old male had an ulcerated tumor in the middle part of the esophagus, which was microscopically diagnosed as small cell carcinoma of the esophagu s. After combination chemotherapy, endoscopy showed that the esophageal tum or had changed into a shallow ulcer. No cancer cell was found in the biopsy specimen of the ulcer. A subtotal esophagectomy with regional lymph node d issection was performed. Histological examination showed that a few cancer cells remained in a microvessel of the submucosal layer in the removed esop hagus and no cancerous lesion was found in regional lymph nodes. The patien t was well and was able to remain at home. However, he eventually died 21 m onths after first detection of the carcinoma due to progression of multiple lung and mediastinal lymph node metastases. After complete or partial remi ssion is achieved by the combination chemotherapy, surgical resection may b e recommended as the second therapy that occasionally produces long-term re mission and possibly long-term survival for patients with small cell carcin oma of the esophagus, such as the present case.