title: Small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus: report of three cases and review of the literature with emphasis on therapy.
abstract: Primary small-cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus is rare, with about 200 cases reported up till now in the literature. Like pulmonary SCC, it is an aggressive tumor associated with a poor prognosis. Between 1994 and 1997, three patients with SCC of the esophagus were treated at Besançon University Hospital and this represented 1.85% of all esophageal malignancies diagnosed during this period: one patient had a limited tumor and underwent initial surgical resection, then chemotherapy with cisplatine and etoposide, and radiotherapy for recurrences. The other patients had extensive disease at diagnosis and were treated by the same chemotherapy. This retrospective study reports our experience of patients with this particular tumor and outlines the management strategy based on the available literature.
authors.affiliation: çDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madroszyk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egreteau
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Queneau
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bosset
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Merrouche
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin