Squamous Cell Carcinoma With a Focal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Component at the Esophagogastric Junction

Abstract

A 60-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 1-month history of dysphagia. She smoked and consumed alcohol but had no notable past medical history. Physical examination revealed epigastric tenderness, and abdominal computed tomography revealed diffuse thickening of the esophageal wall and stenosis of the esophageal lumen. She underwent a barium-swallowing examination. A tumor that measured approximately 4 cm in length was detected with ulceration and stenosis in the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. Tumor biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. Esophagectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma with a neuroendocrine carcinoma component; the latter component made up less than 30% of the lesion. Regional lymph node metastasis, consisting of squamous cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma components, was also observed. The patient was diagnosed with multiple liver metastases 2 months postesophagectomy. She died 11 months after the surgery. Here, we present the above case and a review of relevant literature.