[Treatment and prognosis of primary esophageal small cell carcinoma: a report of 151 cases].
OBJECTIVE
The treatment and prognosis of primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESC), an uncommon esophageal malignant tumor, have seldom been reported. This study was to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of PESC.


METHODS
Clinical data of 151 patients treated in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from 1982 to 2007 were reviewed. The median age of the patients was 59 years. According to VALSG criteria, 138 patients had limited disease (LD), 13 had extensive disease (ED). Patients received surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test using SPSS 13.0 software.


RESULTS
The 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60-month survival rates of these patients were 86.6%, 56.7%, 24.8%,17.4% and 12.0% respectively. The clinical stage and vessel involvement were independent prognostic factors of PESC. The median survival time was longer in LD patients(12.3 months) than in those underwent local treatment alone (surgery or radiotherapy).


CONCLUSIONS
PESC is a malignant tumor with early metastasis and poor prognosis. Combined therapy based on chemotherapy may improve the short term survival of PESC patients.
Song
Yan
Y
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
Wang
Lv-Hua
LH
He
Jie
J
Wang
Jin-Wan
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015996:Survival Rate