Oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus: presentation of two cases and literature review
Liñán Padilla, A.; Milla Sabas, A.; Abad Zamora, J.M.; Vázquez Medina, A.; Ibáñez, F.; Alcántara, F.; Hernández de la Torre, J.M.
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas Organo Oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Patologia Digestiva 99(7): 415-419
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1130-0108 PMID: 17973588 Document Number: 607715
Our objective is to contribute an updated view on a condition as rare as oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus by reviewing the literature and reporting two recent patients seen in our department. A retrospective study with a review of all medical records of patients seen in our ward and diagnosed with esophageal neoplasm for 6 years (January 2000 to December 2006). 249 cases of esophageal neoplasms were found, of them 106 were of squamous ancestry (42.6%), 141 were adenocarcinomas (56.6%), and 2 were oat-cell carcinomas (0.8%). Only in 45 (18%) was surgical resection feasible, 23 underwent palliative surgery (endoprostheses, gastrostomies, and jejunostomies not included) (9.3%), and the rest (181 cases, 72.7%) received derivative surgery or no surgery at all. We can affirm that this neoplasm is highly aggressive, displaying in practically all cases dissemination to other sites; this is a rare cancer that mainly affects men and whose clinical picture is similar to that of other malignancies involving the esophagus.