title: Carcinosarcoma of the oesophagus showing neuroendocrine, squamous and glandular differentiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A case of oesophageal carcinosarcoma occurring in a previously fit, 64-year-old man is reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  The carcinomatous component displayed neuroendocrine, squamous and glandular differentiation: the sarcomatous component showed no specific features of differentiation. In-situ squamous carcinoma was present in the adjacent squamous mucosa. The most superficial part of invasive tumour consisted of carcinosarcoma with a predominant neuroendocrine epithelial component. Squamous carcinoma without an accompanying sarcomatous component occupied most of the deeper part of the tumour, suggesting outgrowth of this tumour type by a selective growth advantage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We speculate that further tumour growth might have led to complete replacement of the tumour by pure squamous carcinoma, and that other advanced oesophageal squamous carcinomas might have had their origin in a short-lived carcinosarcomatous phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rahamim
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis*; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D002864:Chromogranins