[Oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus: presentation of two cases and literature review]. / Carcinoma oat-cell de esófago: presentación de dos casos y actualización bibliográfica.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to contribute an updated view on a condition as rare as oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus by reviewing the literature and reporting two recent patients seen in our department. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study with a review of all medical records of patients seen in our ward and diagnosed with esophageal neoplasm for 6 years (January 2000 to December 2006). RESULTS: 249 cases of esophageal neoplasms were found, of them 106 were of squamous ancestry (42.6%), 141 were adenocarcinomas (56.6%), and 2 were oat-cell carcinomas (0.8%). Only in 45 (18%) was surgical resection feasible, 23 underwent palliative surgery (endoprostheses, gastrostomies, and jejunostomies not included) (9.3%), and the rest (181 cases, 72.7%) received derivative surgery or no surgery at all. CONCLUSIONS: We can affirm that this neoplasm is highly aggressive, displaying in practically all cases dissemination to other sites; this is a rare cancer that mainly affects men and whose clinical picture is similar to that of other malignancies involving the esophagus.

Carcinoma oat-cell de esófago: presentación de dos casos y actualización bibliográfica / Oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus: Presentation of two cases and literature update

Objetivo: nuestro objetivo es aportar una visión actualizadasobre una patología tan infrecuente como el carcinoma oat-cellesofágico, mediante revisión de la bibliografía y la exposición dedos casos de reciente aparición en nuestro servicio.Material y método: se realizó un estudio retrospectivo conrevisión de las historias clínicas de los pacientes ingresados ennuestro servicio con el diagnóstico de neoplasia esofágica en losúltimos 6 años (enero de 2000 a diciembre de 2006).Resultados: se estudiaron 249 casos de neoplasias de esófagoen el curso de este periodo de 6 años, de ellas 106 fueron deestirpe epidermoide (42,6%), 141 adenocarcinomas (56,6%) y 2oat-cell (0,8%). Del total de estos tumores sólo en 45 (18%) deellos se pudo realizar resección quirúrgica, en 23 (9,3%) cirugíapaliativa (no se incluyen prótesis endoscópicas, gastrostomías niyeyunostomías) y en el resto (181 casos, 72,7%) cirugía derivativao ninguna opción quirúrgica.Conclusiones: podemos afirmar que esta neoplasia es altamenteagresiva, presentando en prácticamente la totalidad de los casosdiseminación a otras localizaciones. Se trata de un cáncer muy pocofrecuente que afecta mayoritariamente a varones y cuya clínica es similaral resto de procesos neoplásicos que afectan al esófago

Objective: our objective is to contribute an updated view on acondition as rare as oat-cell carcinoma of the esophagus by reviewingthe literature and reporting two recent patients seen in our department.Material and method: a retrospective study with a review ofall medical records of patients seen in our ward and diagnosed withesophageal neoplasm for 6 years (January 2000 to December2006).Results: 249 cases of esophageal neoplasms were found, ofthem 106 were of squamous ancestry (42.6%), 141 were adenocarcinomas(56.6%), and 2 were oat-cell carcinomas (0.8%). Onlyin 45 (18%) was surgical resection feasible, 23 underwent palliativesurgery (endoprostheses, gastrostomies, and jejunostomies not included)(9.3%), and the rest (181 cases, 72.7%) received derivativesurgery or no surgery at all.Conclusions: we can affirm that this neoplasm is highly aggressive,displaying in practically all cases dissemination to othersites; this is a rare cancer that mainly affects men and whose clinicalpicture is similar to that of other malignancies involving theesophagus