title: Esophageal carcinosarcoma: management and prognosis at a single Italian series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal carcinosarcoma (ESC) is a rare malignant lesion of the esophagus with controversial characteristics and prognostic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen consecutive patients with esophageal carcinosarcoma were referred to the Center for Esophageal Diseases located in Padua from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2011. Clinical characteristics, pathological features, treatment and outcome were retrospectively analyzed in a prospectively collected database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients received palliative treatment and one refused surgery; they died of unresected tumor or progression of disease within 0.6-43.5 months after diagnosis. Eleven patients underwent surgical treatment with complete tumor resection; recurrence rate was 80%, leading to death within 2 years after surgery. Only two resected patients are currently alive and free of disease over 20 years after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results did not support the better prognosis concept of esophageal carcinosarcoma and suggested the importance of radical esophagectomy with adequate lymph node dissection.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy cescocava@libero.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavallin
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarpa
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cagol
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruol
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Medical Sciences and Special Therapies, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugge
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ancona
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castoro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D016629:Esophagectomy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality*; D010166:Palliative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Esophagus; carcinosarcoma; oncology