Oat cell carcinoma of the oesophagus. Case description and review of the literature.

The small oat cell type of carcinoma is only rarely seen in extrapulmonary sites. To date, nineteen cases have been described in the oesophagus, almost all by Japanese authors. In this report we review the relevant literature and add one more case of pure type to the total. The histopathological, histochemical and ultrastructural findings and the similarity of this tumour to the oat cell bronchial carcinoma, lead one to propose that it originates in the cells of the APUD series, which have been demonstrated in the normal oesophageal epithelium. Thus is represents on endocrine carcinoma of the oesophagus.