A Carcinoid Tumor of the Esophagus Treated with Endoscopic Ablation Therapy

Esophageal carcinoids are exceedingly rare and only a few limited cases have been reported. Because knowledge about esophageal carcinoid is based primarily on case reports, the treatment of choice has not been settled. We report here on a localized carcinoid tumor in the esophagogastric junction. As our initial biopsy was nearly equal for the excision, we only performed coagulation ablation therapy instead of a wide excision which is traditionally recommended. The patient is free of recurrence so far during 50-month follow-up. Our report suggests that esophageal carcinoids may be not particularly associated with a poor prognosis.