BACKGROUND: Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a high-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma usually localized in the aerodigestive tract, with a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is generally recommended, even if no standard treatment has been established yet. CASE REPORT: Here, we report the case history of a patient diagnosed with BSCC at the esophagogastric junction who was successfully treated with chemotherapy alone, leading to a durable complete response. CONCLUSIONS: The presented case illustrates the diagnostic challenges associated with BSCC of the esophagus and reports an unexpected chemosensitivity of this histotype to the combination of a platinum salt plus 5-fluorouracil, which could represent an optimal treatment strategy in unfit patients.
BACKGROUND:Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a high-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma usually localized in the aerodigestive tract, with a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is generally recommended, even if no standard treatment has been established yet. CASE REPORT: Here, we report the case history of a patient diagnosed with BSCC at the esophagogastric junction who was successfully treated with chemotherapy alone, leading to a durable complete response. CONCLUSIONS: The presented case illustrates the diagnostic challenges associated with BSCC of the esophagus and reports an unexpected chemosensitivity of this histotype to the combination of a platinum salt plus 5-fluorouracil, which could represent an optimal treatment strategy in unfit patients.