Abstract: Objective To explore the outcomes of different treatments and prognostic factors influencing overall survival（OS） in patients with limitedstage small cell esophageal carcinoma（SCEC）. Methods One hundred and six patients with limited-stage SCEC were divided into 4 groups according to different treatment methods： surgery alone（n=14）， surgery and postoperative chemotherapy（n=42）， radiotherapy alone（n=11） and concurrent chemoradiotherapy（n=39）. The 5-year overall survival rates， median OS and the rates of metastasis were analyzed retrospectively， and Cox model was used to analyze prognostic factors. Results The 5year survival rates of patients with and without chemotherapy were 27.2％ and 0， and median OS were 22.0 and 11.0 months with a hazard ratio（HR） of 2.30（95％CI： 1.42-3.73， P=0.001）. The 5-year survival rates of patients treated with surgery and postoperative chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy were 31.0％ and 23.1％， and median OS were 26.0 and 18.0 months with a HR of 1.25（95％ CI： 0.75-2.09， P=0.725）. Multivariate survival analysis using Coxs regression model showed that chemotherapy was a positive independent prognostic factor for SCEC（HR=2.92， 95％ CI： 1.25-6.80）.
Conclusion Chemotherapy-based treatment may be beneficial in increaseing the longterm survival of patients with limited-stage SCEC. Similar overall survival rates are achieved between surgery combined with chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Chemotherapy is an independent prognostic factor. Randomized， controlled， prospective studies are urgent in need to identify optimal chemotherapy regimens for treating SCEC.