A case of recurrent esophageal cancer successfully treated by combined therapies

We report here a case of recurrent esophageal cancer successfully treated by cervical lymph node dissection and chemo-radiation therapy. A 66-year-old woman received esophagectomy for advanced esophageal cancer in February 2003. Cervical CT and ultrasonography revealed multiple lymph node metastases in February 2008. Surgical excision was performed to the lymph node recurrence. After the operation, she received radiation therapy combined with cisplatin and 5-FU. She is alive without recurrence for two years after the treatment. We conclude that surgery and chemo-radiation therapy may be effective for cervical lymph node recurrence of esophageal cancer.     

A case report of long-term survival of endocrine cell carcinoma of the esophagus with chemo-radiation therapy

The patient was an 84-year-old man, who was diagnosed with cT3N2 (101L, 109L) M0, stage III esophageal cancer. The tumor, immunohistochemically, was stained positive for CD56 and NSE yielding a definitive diagnosis of endocrine cell carcinoma of the esophagus. We selected chemo-radiation therapy (5-FU/CDDP and 2 Gy/day total 60 Gy) for this patient. As adjuvant chemotherapy, 7 courses of chemotherapy with 5-FU/CDDP, was performed. At 8 months from the chemo-radiation therapy, the disease was diagnosed as cCR. But two years later, lung metastasis appeared, so we started chemotherapy with docetaxel/CDDP/5-FU. After 2 courses, lung metastasis was almost disappeared. He has been survived for four years and five months after chemo-radiation. This case suggests that chemo( FP) -radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy could be an effective treatment for endocrine cell carcinoma of the esophagus.     

A case of long-term survival after resection for postoperative solitary adrenal metastasis from esophageal adenocarcinoma

A 71-year-old man presented with chief complains of hoarseness and dysphagia. He was diagnosed to have an advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma in the middle thoracic esophagus for which chemoradiation therapy was started. Partial response was observed and he was referred to our hospital thereafter. After detailed examination, he underwent a subtotal esophagectomy followed by two-field lymphadenectomy in May 2001. Histopathological examination revealed a complete response. Ten months later, hematological examination showed a high serum CEA level and CT scan disclosed mediastinal lymph node recurrences. He received a course of systemic chemotherapy so called FP therapy and five months later, a course of combination chemotherapy with 700 mg/m2 5-FU on days 1-5 and 70 mg/m2 nedaplatin on day 1 was administered. Because the high serum CEA level sustained afterward, FDG-PET was undertaken in March 2003. The right adrenal gland showed an intense abnormal FDG uptake and CT scan detected a low density mass in the area. Since no metastases could be identified in other sites, right adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological finding was poorly-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Five years and eleven months after adrenalectomy, he died of pneumonia with no signs of recurrence. Surgical resection may contribute to improving the prognosis of solitary adrenal metastasis of esophageal cancer without the other noncurative factors.     

Long-Term Survival in Two Cases of Resected Gastric Metastasis of Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinoma

We report two pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma patients both of which underwent surgical resection of solitary gastric metastases. A 69-year-old man developed anemia 5 months after right upper lobectomy for pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma and gastric metastasis was detected endoscopically. He underwent distal gastrectomy and has survived for 5 years without any other recurrence or metastasis. Preoperative abdominal computed tomography detected a submucosal gastric tumor in a 62-year-old man with left upper lobe pleomorphic carcinoma. A gastrointestinal stromal tumor was suspected. Left upper lobectomy was performed followed by partial gastrectomy with splenectomy. The histologic diagnosis was primary pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma with gastric metastasis. He has survived for 4 years without any other recurrence or metastasis. Resection of gastric metastasis following complete pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma resection may be indicated if the metastasis is solitary.     

An esophageal cancer with a renal metastasis that was detected and resected as the only focus of recurrence

Reported is the case of an esophageal cancer presenting a renal metastasis, which was detected and resected as the only recurrent focus. The patient was a 62-year-old male. Five months after an esophagectomy, a left renal mass was detected by abdominal computerized tomography, and a rise in the SCC antigen. The urinary cytology suggested a renal metastasis of the esophageal cancer. Thus, chemotherapy and irradiation was performed, followed by a resection. The histology of the resected mass showed a squamous cell carcinoma, similar to the findings at the primary site. A renal metastasis of an esophageal carcinoma usually is latent, but not rarely found on postmortem examination. A nephrectomy for a renal metastasis of an esophageal cancer is rare, and only 8 cases are reported in the literature.     

A patient with small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus with synchronous liver metastasis surviving 48 months after surgery]

Small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus is regarded as having a poor prognosis with frequent and early systemic metastasis. Recently, several reports have described small-cell carcinoma satisfactorily treated by chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined with surgery. We herein report a patient with small-cell carcinoma of esophagus with synchronous multiple liver metastasis who survived 44 months after surgery. A 70-year-old man was found to have a polypoid lesion at the abdominal esophagus by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A biopsy specimen of the lower esophagus demonstrated undifferentiated carcinoma of the esophagus. Ultrasonographic investigation demonstrated solitary SOL in the liver. The patient underwent a total gastrectomy and lower esophagectomy by an abdominal approach. As ultrasonographic evaluation during laparotomy revealed multiple liver metastases, a hepatic artery infusion catheter was inserted into the proper hepatic artery. A pathological study of the resected esophagus and a biopsy specimen of the liver revealed undifferentiated cell carcinoma of the esophagus (small-cell type). During hospitalization, hepatic artery infusion therapy (CDDP 20 mg/4 h and 5-FU 750 mg/5 h) was given for 4 days starting on days 14 and 28. After chemotherapy, liver metastasis could not be detected by ultrasonographic investigation. At the outpatient clinic bi-weekly hepatic artery infusion of 5-FU (1,500 mg/body/5 h) was continued for 30 months. The patient is alive 48 months after surgery without any evidence of recurrence.     

A case of breast cancer metastasizing to cervix after resection of pancreatic metastasis

A case of breast cancer that metastasized to the cervix 10 years and 8 months after mastectomy is reported. The patient had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy due to solitary metastasis to the head of the pancreas 4 years previously. The cervical metastasis was associated with abnormal genital bleeding. After pancreaticoduodenectomy the serum levels of CEA, CA15-3 and NCC-ST-439, which are markers of breast cancer, were within normal limits, but the serum level of CA15-3 had increased month by month. The patient had abnormal genital bleeding and presented to the department of gynecology at our hospital. The tumor was in the cervix, bled easily and 2.5x2.0 cm in size on ultrasonography. It was thought to be carcinoma of the cervix, but biopsy revealed the tumor to be an adenocarcinoma pathologically and CA15-3 was immunohistochemically demonstrated in the resected specimen, similar to lobular carcinoma of the breast. Abdominal CT scan revealed involvement of the ovaries and uterus, prompting hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy. After discharge, she received chemoendocrine therapy. However, she subsequently died due to peritoneal carcinomatosis.     

An experience of curative resection of local recurrent rectal cancer with high-level sacrectomy after preoperative chemo-radiation therapy

A 54-year-old male had huge pre-sacral recurrent mass (54 × 41 mm) at the level of S1 sacral bone six months after he underwent a high anterior resection for advanced rectal cancer. He was considered inoperable although he had no distant metastasis. We planned a surgical resection for the recurrent tumor after the chemo-radiation therapy (radiation + CPT-11, UFT, Leucovorin). The tumor had a good response (33 × 29 mm) for CRT allowing a dissection area between sacral bone and posterior tumor margin. The surgical resection was performed. We dissected recurrent tumor and sacral bone below S2 and preserved S1 nerve roots under direct vision in order to prevent complications such as walking disorder and spinal fluid leakage. The operative time was 870 minutes and the blood loss was 3,600 g. There were no intraoperative complications. Macroscopically, surgical margin was well secured and a pathological examination of resected specimen revealed microfoci of cancer cells. The post operative hospital stay was 36 days. The patient is alive without any evidence of recurrence 72 months after surgery. He has no walking disability, and a good quality of life.     

A case of advanced esophageal cancer invaded to the trachea with PCR after preoperative chemoradiotherapy, which relapsed at the time of three years and seven months after resection

A male in his 40s was diagnosed with type-3 advanced esophageal cancer in the upper thoracic and cervical esophagus, which invaded to the trachea. We administered a low-dose FP combination therapy (5-FU and CDDP) along with 40 Gy radiotherapy. This chemoradiotherapy reduced the esophageal tumor significantly, and then we performed subtotal esophagectomy. Histological examination of the resected specimens revealed no residual cancer cells in the primary lesion or regional lymph nodes. No recurrence had occurred for about three years and seven months after the operation. However, CT revealed that the patient had the signs of recurrence (bone and lung), and finally he died four years and eight months after the operation. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy is potentially effective for advanced esophageal cancer invaded to adjacent organs. Although chemoradiotherapy yielded a complete response in our case( an advanced esophageal cancer patient), a patient follow-up is necessary because a recurrence may occur along the way.     

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus

A 56-year-old man was admitted with the complaint of dysphagia. X-ray studies and endoscopy revealed a protruding tumor at the middle third of esophagus. Under the diagnosis of esophageal cancer, subtotal esophagectomy was performed. A Borrmann type I like tumor measuring 6.7 X 3.8 X 2.2 cm was identified on the resected specimen. The surface of the tumor was irregular, nodular and covered with thin compressed esophageal mucosa. The histology of the tumor was consistent with adenoid cystic carcinoma. Incidentally, small foci of invasive squamous cell carcinoma were found adjacent to this tumor. There was no lymph node or remote organ metastasis.     

Ivor-Lewis手术后辅助放疗预防食管癌淋巴结转移性复发的疗效评价

目的:探讨Ivor-Lewis 手术后辅助放疗对胸中段食管癌淋巴结转移性复发的预防作用,旨在于提高食管癌手术的局部控制率。方法:回顾1999年6 月～2004年6 月间山东大学附属省立医院胸外科采用改良Ivor-Lewis手术并胸、腹二野淋巴结清扫治疗366 例胸中段食管鳞癌患者的完整临床资料,应用SPSS13.0 软件包建立数据库,并进行统计分析,Kaplan-meier 法计算复发率;Log-rank 检验比较复发率差异;Cox 回归分析判定手术后淋巴结转移的独立危险因素。结果:术后3 年内,366 例患者中105 例（28.7%）发生淋巴结转移,占全部复发患者的52.2%（105/201）。 181 例辅助放疗患者中,37例发生淋巴结转移（20.4%）,与单纯化疗和未经系统性辅助治疗患者相比,淋巴结转移率显著降低（P<0.05）。 103 例单纯化疗患者中,33例发生淋巴结转移（32.0%）,低于未经手术后辅助治疗患者的淋巴结转移率,但差异无统计学意义（P=0.17）。 Cox 回归分析结果显示:肿瘤的T 分类、淋巴结转移和手术后辅助放疗是术后淋巴结转移的独立预后因素。结论:改良Ivor-Lewis 手术无严重的手术后并发症。术后辅助放疗患者的局部淋巴结转移率显著降低。肿瘤的T 分类、淋巴结转移和手术后辅助放疗是术后淋巴结转移的独立预后因素。Ivor-Lewis 手术辅助术后放疗,是对胸中段食管鳞癌实现预防淋巴结转移性复发的有效候选方法之一。      

非开胸食管切除手术在高龄食管癌、贲门癌病人中的临床应用

目的　探讨高龄食管癌、贲门癌患者非开胸手术的治疗效果。方法　对 113例 6 0～ 80岁食管癌、贲门癌行非开胸手术治疗。其中食管内翻拔脱术 6 2例 ,上段胸骨劈开加食管内翻拔脱 2 7例 ,下段胸骨劈开食管内翻拔脱 7例 ,经腹贲门癌切除 17例。手术效果与同期开胸手术进行对比分析。结果　全组病人均获切除 ,平均手术时间 2～ 3h。与开胸手术相比 ,术后血氧饱和度下降幅度小 ,恢复时间短 ;肺部感染率下降到 6 2 % ,输血量减少至 2 0 0～ 40 0ml ,死亡率下降到 1 8%。结论　非开胸食管切除术是高龄食管癌、贲门癌患者的一种理想术式。     

A case of advanced gastric cancer resistant to S-1 successfully treated with weekly administration of paclitaxel

A 62-year-old female was diagnosed with type 2 advanced gastric cancer in May 2003. Pathological examination showed a poorly differentiated carcinoma. Computed tomography (CT) revealed paraaortic lymph node metastasis, duodenal metastasis and ascites due to peritoneal dissemination. Chemotherapy with CDDP+S-1 was started and continued. After the chemotherapy, there were progressive diseases. Therefore, paclitaxel (PTX) was administered at a dose of 80 mg/m2/day for 3 weeks followed by a week rest. Clinical symptoms were relieved, and CT scan revealed metastatic lymph nodes were reduced after 4 cycles. After 13 cycles, MRI revealed a solitary brain mass was detected. She was resected for a right temporal-occipital brain metastatic tumor, and local cerebral irradiation was performed. After this operation, she was diagnosed with brain metastasis from advanced gastric cancer. The procedure was interrupted for about 6 months. After rehabilitation, PTX treatment was restarted as 14th cycle. She has survived without recurrence more than 30 cycles after the resection. A weekly administration of PTX may be a promising regimen as second-line chemotherapy for S-1 resistant recurrent gastric cancer.     

Prognostic and clinical evaluation of axillary lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer

Axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) from esophageal cancer is rare. Its prognosis and effective treatments remain unknown. Between 1997 and 2005, esophagectomy was performed in 361 patients with esophageal cancer in our hospital. ALNM was identified in four patients (1.1%). All patients had left ALNM with ipsilateral left supraclavicular lymph node metastasis. In two patients ALNM developed after radical esophagectomy with regional lymphadenectomy and in the other two patients after chemoradiotherapy of primary lesions. Axillary lymphadenectomy with chemoradiotherapy was given to all patients. Median survival time and disease-free survival (DFS) after initial treatment for primary esophageal cancer were 30.5 months and 11.5 months, respectively. One patient, who had a small number of regional lymph node metastases (two lymph nodes) at esophagectomy and prolonged DFS (22 months) until axillary node recurrence, is still alive, 67 months after axillary lymphadenectomy. The other three patients, who had larger numbers of regional lymph node metastases (average, 8.3) and shorter DFS (average, 9.7 months), died of recurrence an average of 13.3 months after axillary lymphadenectomy. In conclusion, although ALNM is considered a type of distant organ metastasis, if it is a solitary recurrence, good survival may be obtained after appropriate loco-regional therapy. The number of metastatic regional lymph nodes at initial esophagectomy and the duration of DFS until axillary node recurrence can help to guide the decision whether aggressive treatments are warranted.     

Two cases of complete response of primary esophageal carcinoma treated with 5-FU/CDDP as neoadjuvant chemotherapy

CASE 1: A 67-year-old man with lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma, T2N0M0, cStage II, underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with 5-FU/CDDP. After 2 courses of NAC, radical resection of the esophageal carcinoma was performed. Primary tumor was not palpable, and lymph node swelling was not found in the resected specimens. Pathologic examination of the resected specimens revealed no malignant cells in the esophagus. Histologic effect of the NAC was grade 3. We obtained down-staging of carcinoma in T0N0M0, fStage 0. CASE 2: A 58-year-old man with thoracic esophageal cancer, T3N2M0, cStage III, underwent NAC with 5-FU/CDDP. After 2 courses of NAC, radical resection of the esophageal carcinoma was performed. Primary tumor was not found in the resected specimens. Pathologic examination of the resected specimens revealed only an irregular fibrosis of esophageal wall, and no malignant cells in the esophagus. Two lymph node metastasis and surrounding fibrosis was found. We obtained down-staging of carcinoma in T0N2M0, fStage II. We report two cases of complete response of primary esophageal carcinoma treated with 5-FU/CDDP as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

A case report of complete obstruction of the left main bronchus caused by recurrent esophageal carcinoma with pulmonary embolism of right lung after surgery for esophageal cancer

A 54-year-old woman complained of dyspnea, due to complete obstruction of the left main bronchus caused by recurrent esophageal carcinoma, was transferred to our department about two months after curative resection (with preoperative chemotherapy for T4 cancer) in July 2004. She suddenly developed a severe shortness of breath with anxiety, and arterial blood gas analysis revealed a PaO2 of 25 mmHg (FiO2 1.0). The presence of pulmonary embolism was diagnosed by pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy. Thrombolytic therapy with urokinase was started to keep the air way. Fogarty catheter and bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser treatment was performed. After that, an expandable metallic stent (EMS) was placed at the site of obstruction without any troubles, and there was a striking improvement in her condition of respiration and atelectasis. The radiation therapy was initiated and completed safely. The tumor lesion had disappeared on CT scan after the radiation therapy (a total dose of 50 Gy). We experienced a case that could be rescued from an advanced respiratory failure caused by one side air way obstruction and another side's blood circulation disorder.     

Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma

A 60-year-old man underwent anterior resection for advanced rectal carcinoma. Seven years and 2 months later, right lower pneumonectomy was performed for a metastatic lung tumor. Two years and 2 months thereafter, left adrenalectomy was performed for solitary adrenal metastasis. The patient remained disease-free for 10 months postoperatively, until multiple lung metastases appeared. The patient is alive and well, under mild chemotherapy with oral doxifluridine, 3 years and 5 months after left adrenalectomy. We conclude that patients with solitary adrenal metastasis may benefit from surgical resection and that resection could be considered as a therapy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma.     

A case of extraorbital sebaceous carcinoma

A case of sebaceous carcinoma of the forehead of a 77-year-old male is reported and discussed and included in a review of all such cases reported in Japan. The patient had a round erosion on the right forehead that had caused itching for 15 months. An excisional biopsy of that lesion disclosed a malignancy and a subsequent wide excision was performed. The tumor recurred several times after excision and partially effective radiation therapy. The patient finally died of aspiration pneumonia 3 years after the first operation. An autopsy revealed that he had a recurrent sebaceous carcinoma extending to the periosteum of the right temporal bone and a solitary pulmonary metastasis.     

pT1-3N0M0期食管鳞癌二野术后复发和转移的因素分析

目的 回顾分析影响pT1-3N0M0期食管鳞癌术后复发和转移的因素。方法 收集胸段食管鳞癌行胸腹二野R0术后、病理分期为pT1-3N0M0期、手术前后未行辅助放疗和/或化疗、术后生存期≥3个月者 488例。Cox模型多因素分析。结果 至随访期结束总复发率为36.9%(180/488),LRR率为21.5%(105/488)、DM率为6.8%(33/488),LRR合并DM率为8.6%(42/488)。多因素分析显示肿瘤位置和pT分期是影响术后总复发、LRR和DM的因素;胸上段鳞癌和pT3期者复发率高,胸中段鳞癌和pT2期者次之,胸下段鳞癌和pT1期者复发率低。结论 肿瘤位置和pT分期是影响pT1-3N0M0期食管鳞癌二野R0术后复发和转移的重要因素,其结果有助于指导术后辅助放疗适应证选择。     

Metastatic esophageal tumors from distant primary lesions: report of three esophagectomies and study of 1835 autopsy cases

Three cases of esophagectomy for secondary esophageal carcinoma metastasized from the ovary, breast and lung are reported. Long-term survival, 14 and 4 years, after esophagectomy was achieved in two patients. The intervals between surgery for primary cancer and dysphagia onset in these two patients were 16 and 7 years, respectively. An aggressive surgical approach appears to be the therapeutic procedure of choice for metastatic esophageal carcinoma when the primary tumor growth rate is suspected to be slow. Autopsy data on 1835 cases revealed 112 (6.1%) had metastasis to the esophagus. The lung was the most common primary tumor-bearing organ and the diffusely infiltrative type was the most common esophageal tumor observed macroscopically which corresponded to the findings in our three patients. When an esophageal stricture with normal mucosa is encountered, a metastatic tumor must be taken into consideration.