[A case of stage IVb small cell carcinoma of the esophagus obtained prolonged survival after combined modality therapy].

Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus is a relatively rare disease, and its prognosis is quite poor, because of its rapid progression. A 76-year-old female visited our hospital with the complaint of a poor appetite. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination(GIS)revealed an ulcerated lesion in the lower portion of the thoracic esophagus, and we diagnosed small cell carcinoma by a biopsy specimen.