Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The Massachusetts General Hospital experience, 1978 to 1993.

Thirteen patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1978 and 1993. These patients accounted for 1.6% of all patients with esophageal neoplasms seen at our institution during this period. Five patients presented with extensive disease while eight were noted to have limited disease at diagnosis. Seven patients were treated with primary chemotherapy while four patients received radiation therapy alone. No patient in this series underwent surgical resection. Four complete responses to treatment were observed although overall survival was only 7 months. One patient receiving chemotherapy, external beam radiation therapy, and endoesophageal brachytherapy is alive and well without evidence of disease 24 months from diagnosis.