Background/aims: The aims of this study are to retrospectively analyze data on the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes of 14 cases of small cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
Methodology: Patient records were reviewed for data on demographics, presenting symptoms, diagnosis, disease stage, type of treatment and outcome.
Results: Between January 1990 and December 2001, 14 patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital, representing 0.8% of all esophageal carcinomas diagnosed during this period. Eleven patients presented with extensive disease at the time of diagnosis, while three patients were noted to have limited disease. Nine patients received combination chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Three of these patients achieved a complete response to first-line treatment and two of them have survived more than two years. Five patients underwent esophagectomy as an initial treatment with curative intent. All of these patients developed early relapse after esophagectomy, and only one patient has survived more than two years. The overall median survival was 7.7 months (range: 0.6-89.1 months) for all 14 patients.
Conclusions: Although curative esophagectomy may be effective as a primary treatment in some patients, systemic chemotherapy with or without concurrent radiotherapy should be considered as an important treatment option for small cell carcinoma of the esophagus.