Esophageal carcinosarcoma: management and prognosis at a single Italian series

Abstract

Background: Esophageal carcinosarcoma (ESC) is a rare malignant lesion of the esophagus with controversial characteristics and prognostic factors.

Patients and methods: Seventeen consecutive patients with esophageal carcinosarcoma were referred to the Center for Esophageal Diseases located in Padua from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2011. Clinical characteristics, pathological features, treatment and outcome were retrospectively analyzed in a prospectively collected database.

Results: Five patients received palliative treatment and one refused surgery; they died of unresected tumor or progression of disease within 0.6-43.5 months after diagnosis. Eleven patients underwent surgical treatment with complete tumor resection; recurrence rate was 80%, leading to death within 2 years after surgery. Only two resected patients are currently alive and free of disease over 20 years after surgery.

Conclusion: Our results did not support the better prognosis concept of esophageal carcinosarcoma and suggested the importance of radical esophagectomy with adequate lymph node dissection.

Keywords: Esophagus; carcinosarcoma; oncology.