Carcinoma of the esophagus associated with Fanconi's anemia.

Fanconi's anemia, an inherited disorder characterized by bone marrow aplasia, peripheral pancytopenia, and multiple congenital defects, has a association with certain types of malignancies. These include acute myelomonocytic leukemia, benign and malignant liver tumors, and squamous carcinomas of various organs. We report a patient with esophageal carcinoma complicating Fanconi's anemia, summarize the various tumors associated to date with the syndrome, and discuss possible mechanisms of malignant transformation. This high incidence of malignancy must be appreciated for early diagnosis and appropriate therapy.