Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus in a patient with longstanding primary achalasia.
Achalasia is believed to be a predisposing factor for the development of esophageal cancer. Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare neoplasm, with fewer than 150 cases having been reported in the world literature, and it has been described only once previously in a patient with longstanding achalasia. We describe a case of an 85-yr-old woman with long-term primary achalasia who developed primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus. We hypothesize that this patient's recurrent, worsening dysphagia is related to a paraneoplastic phenomenon. We discuss this association and review the literature.
Proctor
D D
DD
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Fraser
J L
JL
Mangano
M M
MM
Calkins
D R
DR
Rosenberg
S J
SJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary