Intraepithelial carcinoma concomitant with the main tumor is a conspicuous feature in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus. The aim of the current study was to clarify the clinicopathologic features of superficial spreading type SCC of the esophagus. Ninety-seven patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, whose main carcinoma is invading the mucosa or submucosa, were investigated in the current study. The clinicopathologic features were compared between 13 cases demonstrating a superficial spreading type carcinoma in which the spreading size of the tumor was 5 cm or more in length and 84 cases with the size less than 5 cm. Although no significant difference was observed regarding lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, intramural metastasis and lymph node metastasis, the survival rate of patients with superficial spreading type carcinoma was much better than that of patients with ordinary superficial carcinoma of the esophagus. Coexistence of superficial spreading type carcinoma may be correlated with a favorable prognosis of patients with superficial esophageal SCC.

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