title: Non-surgical approach to small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: does this rare disease have the same tumor behavior as SCLC?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We conducted a retrospective analysis to clarify the clinical profile of a nonsurgical approach to small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  SCEC patients in our database were reviewed. Consistent with the standard approach to small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC), chemoradiotherapy was the first choice for limited disease (LD)-SCEC in our institution while chemotherapy was the first choice for extensive disease (ED)-SCEC. Our strategy did not include prophylactic cranial irradiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen patients were treated between January 1996 and December 2006, of whom 10 had LD-SCEC and 8 had ED-SCEC. Regarding response to chemoradiotherapy in patients with LD-SCEC, CR rate at the primary site was 90% (9/10) and total CR rate was 80% (8/10). With a median follow-up period of 55.3 months, median survival time in LD-SCEC and ED-SCEC patients was 17.3 and 13.9 months, respectively, showing no significant difference (p = 0.57). Brain metastases occurred in only one patient. On follow-up, eight patients with LD-SCEC and seven with ED-SCEC died of disease. Only 2 patients died of local progression, while the remaining 13 died of disease progression of distant metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite providing good local control, chemoradiotherapy appeared to have insufficient potential to cure LD-SCEC. Prophylactic brain irradiation for SCEC is unnecessary.
authors: Division of Digestive Endoscopy, Oitatohbu Hospital, 7-6-5 Tanigasako Shimura, Oita, 870-0261, Japan.
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Nakajima
authors: Sadamoto
authors: S
authors: Zenda
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Minashi
authors: Tomonori
authors: T
authors: Yano
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Tahara
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Doi
authors: Masakatsu
authors: M
authors: Onozawa
authors: Keiji
authors: K
authors: Nihei
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Fujii
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Ohtsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy