Long-term survivors after the resection of limited esophageal small cell carcinoma

Patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus have a poor prognosis a nd have generally been treated by chemotherapy. However, all reported cases were at advanced stages, We need to establish an adequate treatment for pa tients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limited to the submucosal layer. In this paper, five cases of small cell carcinomas, w hich accounted for 2.8% of 180 surgically treated esophageal carcinomas, we re reviewed for pathological findings, treatment, and outcome. Among three patients who had a small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limi ted to the submucosal layer, two patients survived for 7 and 9 years after surgery with no evidence of the disease, One of them was treated using surg ery alone. Consequently, surgery may he considered as a possible choice of treatment for small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limited t o the submucosa.