Advanced esophageal carcinoma without obvious superficial mucosal alteration

Objective: To explore the diagnosis, etiology, clinical feature and treatment of advanced esophageal carcinoma with no obvious superficial mucosal alteration. Method: Between December 2004 to December 2009, we treated eight patients who suffered advanced esophageal cancer but were not found obvious superficial mucosal alteration by fiber-esophagoscopy. The bulging mucosa was smooth and biopsy examination showed chronic mucosal inflammatory. Without definite diagnosis, the patients (five men and three women) underwent esophagectomy in our department. Clinic data and tumor characteristics of them were analyzed retrospectively. Result: Two patients died after the operation, while the other six recovered uneventfully. Postoperative histological examination confirmed six squamous carcinoma (SCC) and two adenocarcinoma (ADC) and the tumor originated in the lamina propria mucosa, muscularis mucosae or submucosa, while mucous epithelium found no tumor cells. Until now, one patient is still alive more than five years, one survived about five years, three survived less than five years, and another one had been dead within two years. Conclusion: As the symptom of this kind tumor is mild and the diagnosis is difficult before surgery, the surgeons should be patient when they encounter these patients. Long time follow up is very important. [Jiang Z, Yang Y, Li XN, Zhao S. Advanced esophageal carcinoma without obvious superficial mucosal alteration. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):309-311] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 46