Kimura H, Konishi K, Kawamura T, Nojima N, Satou T, Maeda K, Yabushita K, Kuroda Y, Tsuji M, Miwa A
Department of Surgery, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Nishinagae, Toyama, Japan.
Dig Surg. 1999;16(3):244-7. doi: 10.1159/000018716.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sarcomas of the esophagus, including carcinosarcoma, are rare neoplasms.
The clinical and pathologic characteristics of 3 patients with esophageal sarcomas are presented, including the only recorded esophageal carcinosarcoma and 2 patients with leiomyosarcoma.
All 3 patients were males who presented with dysphagia or an abnormal shadow of the mediastinum on a plain chest X-ray. Two tumors were in the middle esophagus, and the remaining one was in the distal esophagus. On endoscopic examination, all three tumors were noted to be polypoid. These patients underwent surgical excision. One patient died 7 days following the operation, and the remaining 2 patients died of liver metastasis 10 and 22 months following the treatment.
Esophagectomy or esophagogastrectomy is a surgical choice. Even if metastases are present, a palliative resection can still be performed.
