CASE OF SUPERFICIAL SMALL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS WITH LIVER METASTASIS

Abstract

Small cell carcinoma arising in the esophagus is a relatively rare diagnose. We present a case of superficial small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with liver metastasis treated by operation and chemotherapy. The patient was a 75-year-old woman. She complained of constipation and had the occult blood of stool pointed out by her home doctor. Endoscopic examination revealed a tumor in the abdominal esophagus, and biopsy demonstrated carcinoma. She underwent operation under the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. During the operation, one of multiple liver metastases was diagnosed as small cell carcinoma by analysis of freshly prepared frozen sections. An abdominal esophagectomy with proximal gastrectomy was performed without any lymph node dissection. A plateau esophageal tumor, lcm in diameter, was histologically composed of small cell carcinoma with the invasion depth of sm3. These small cells were positive for synaptophysin and ACTH, and electoron microscopical examination demonstrated intracytoplasmic neurosecretory glanules. The patient recieved post-operative chemotherapy consisting of Carboplatin and etoposide. Liver metastasis was once disappeared by computed tomography. But the patient died of rapid progress of the liver metastasis, to months after the surgery.