A CASE OF TRUE CARCINOSARCOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS

• Published in: Nihon Rinsho Geka Gakkai Zasshi (Journal of Japan Surgical Association) Vol. 67; no. 12; pp. 2829 - 2832
• Main Authors: SAITOU, Tetsuya, MORIMOTO, Yoshikazu, TANAKA, Yasuhiro, FUJII, Makoto, MIKATA, Shouki, NISHIKAWA, Kazuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Surgical Association 2006
• ISSN: 1345-2843; 1882-5133
• DOI: 10.3919/jjsa.67.2829

True carcinosarcoma is extremely rare and is characterized by a mixed tumor composed of a carcinoma and a genuine sarcoma. We describe here a case of true carcinosarcoma of the esophagus and review some literature on the subject. A 55-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of chest pain. Barium swallow esophagogram showed a large polypoid lesion in the upper-middle thoracic esophagus. Endoscopic examination showed a type 1 tumor at the upper thoracic portion of the esophagus. Subtotal esophagectomy with cervical, thoracic, abdominal nodes dissection was performed. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a squamous cell carcinoma part and a sarcomatoid part which showed positive staining for α-smooth muscle actin. No transitional area between the two components was observed. Therefore, it was diagnosed as a true carcinosarcoma according to the Gvideline for Clinical and Pathological Studies on Carcinoma of the Esophagus. The patient died three months after the operation because of multiple metastasis to the bones, liver, and cervical lymph nodes.