ENDOSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS AND A TRIAL OF CHEMOTHERAPY OF SMALL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS

概要

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Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare tumor. Since McKeown reported first two cases of this tumor, about thirty cases have been reported in literatures. Ten cases (1.7%) of small cell carcinoma were found in 606 cases of primary esophageal carcinoma in our clinic. Endoscopic examinations were performed in 7 cases of them. Small cell carcinomas appeared as submucosal tumors in the early phase, but when advanced, it cannot be differentiated from squamous cell carcinomas endoscopically. Therefore, biopsic diagnosis is important for accurate diagnosis. Aspiration cytology of the tumor is also useful for accurate diagnosis : A combination of histological diagnosis and aspiration cytology of the tumor raised the diagnostic rate to 85.7%. But diagnosis of the submucosal type is very difficult. We treated a patient with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with vincristine and cyclophosphamide alone. The esophageal tumors were markedly reduced in size and he survived for about 5 months after beginning of the chemotherapy. A combination of multi-drug chemotherapy and other treatments should probably improve the prognosis of patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
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