title: Chemoradiation for small cell esophageal carcinoma: report of 11 cases from multi-institution experience.
abstract: Small cell esophageal carcinoma(SCEC) is a rare disease with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. Because of the rarity of this disease, standard therapy has not yet been established. The objective of this retrospective study was to report the outcomes of SCEC treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy from a retrospective study of 11 patients. We enrolled 11 SCEC patients who were treated with radiation therapy (more than 50 Gy) and chemotherapy between May 1996 and October 2007. Patients' age ranged from 44 to 77 years (mean: 69 years). In all patients, pathological examination of the specimen obtained by biopsy revealed small cell carcinoma. All patients were treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The mean follow-up time was 14.7 months, and the median overall survival time of all patients was 13.2 months (range: 4.2-43.6 months). The 1-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 63% and 24%, respectively, while the 1-year and 3-year progression-free survival rates were 45% and 14%, respectively. Five of seven patients with complete response (CR) developed recurrent disease. Recurrence sites were distant metastases in four patients and lymph node outside the radiation field in one patient. Chemoradiation should be considered as one of the important treatment options for the loco-regional control in the patients with SCEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University.
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Atsumi
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shioyama
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: Saiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohga
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toba
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Naonobu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunitake
authors.forename: Tadamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshitake
authors.forename: Katsumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome