[Clinical analysis of 33 cases of primary esophageal small cell carcinoma]

Esophagus is the most commonly involved site of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma. However, no standard treatment has been established for primary esophageal small cell carcinoma. This study was to summarize the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of primary esophageal small cell carcinoma, and explore the impact of chemotherapy on the survival.

The records of 33 patients with primary esophageal small cell carcinoma, treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from Jan. 1985 to Dec. 2005, were reviewed to summarize the clinical characteristics and impact of therapy modality on the survival. Prognostic factors were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank method.

The median survival time of the 33 patients was 11.3 months; the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 45.1%, 16.6%, and 3.5%, respectively. Clinical stage was the most important prognostic factor. The median survival time of the patients received local treatment (surgical operation or radiotherapy) was 6.3 months; the 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rates were 31.1%, 23.5%, and 8.2%, respectively. The median survival time of the patients received local treatment plus chemotherapy was 15.4 months; the 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rates were 69.3%, 34.6%, and 28.7%, respectively.

Surgical operation plus chemotherapy can improve the survival of the patients with early stage primary esophageal small cell carcinoma.