[Surgical treatment of primary small-cell esophageal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the surgical treatment of primary small-cell esophageal carcinoma (PSEC).


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 73 patients with PSEC who received surgical treatment in our hospital from 1984 to 2003.


RESULTS
The overall resection rate was 94.5%. The complete resection rate was 89.0% and operation mortality was 1.4%. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival were 50.7%, 13.7%, and 8.2%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
PSEC is a rare malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the main method for patients in stage I or II, and postoperative chemotherapy seems to be helpful. Patients in stage Ill or IV should be managed with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Sun
Ke-Lin
KL
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100021, China. sunkelin88@hotmail.com
Chai
Li-Xun
LX
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate