[A case of small cell carcinoma of the esophagus]

A small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare entity; only 101 cases have been reported in the world literature. In a 59-year-old man, complaining of dysphagia, a tumorous lesion was detected in the esophagus at the upper GI series. The histologic diagnosis of biopsy revealed an undifferentiated carcinoma or a malignant lymphoma. Preoperative radiotherapy was carried out, effectively decreasing the large tumorous lesion in size. Thereafter an esophagectomy and an esophagogastric anastomosis were done. The histologic diagnosis of the resected specimen revealed a small cell carcinoma of an intermediate cell type. The tumor cells failed to show cytoplasmic argyrophilia and an ultrastructural examination did not display any cells containing membrane-bound neurosecretory granules.