Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the esophagus

BACKGROUND: Sarcomas of the esophagus are rare representing 0.1-1.5% of all esophageal tumors. We report a case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) of the esophagus in a 60-year-old woman. METHODS: The diagnosis was made preoperatively on endoscopic biopsy and confirmed after tumor resection by immunohistochemistry as well as electron microscopy. The patient underwent abdominal-thoracicen bloc esophagectomy with mediastinal lymphadenectomy and intrathoracic esophagogastrostomy. RESULTS: Our therapeutic concept for the first case of a high-grade MPNST (malignant schwannoma) of the esophagus resulted in a recurrence-free interval of 4 years. CONCLUSION: The therapy of choice was abdominal-thoracic en bloc esophagectomy with tumor-free resection margins and esophageal reconstruction with the stomach. After R0-resection we found no indication for adjuvant radio- and/or chemotherapy.