Concomitant chemo-radiotherapy as standard therapy in limited-stage small-cell oesophageal cancer: a summary of 3 clinical cases and review of the literature.
Small-cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (SCCO) is a rare and aggressive malignant tumour associated with a poor prognosis. Between 1994 and 2002, three patients with SCCO were treated in our institution, representing 1.96% (3 out of 153) of all oesophageal malignancies seen during this period. All of these patients had limited-stage SCCO at initial diagnosis and were treated by chemotherapy (cisplatin and etoposide) with concomitant radiotherapy. An initial complete response of the primary lesion was observed in all cases and a persistent complete remission in two of the cases. Chemo-radiotherapy should be considered as a valuable treatment alternative to surgery for limited-stage small-cell carcinoma of the oesophagus.
Vos
Bertrand
B
Gastroenterology Department, Jules Bordet Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. bertrand.vos@ulb.ac.be
Gallez
Julien
J
Debroux
Sébastien
S
Roland
Sandrine
S
Verhest
Alain
A
Van Houtte
Paul
P
Awada
Ahmad
A
Hendlisz
Alain
A
D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged