reinvolvement with squamous cell carci-noma after 14 years of cured esophageal cancer

esophageal cancer is a lethal disease with poor survival rate. it is necessary to determine the extension, and the stage of the tumor to predict the outcome of patients. of the two common pathologic types, squamous cell carcinoma is still the most common form, and adenocarcinoma is the leading one. early diagnosis and radical treatment of esophageal cancer, regardless of tumor spreading, increases the curability and the survival time to five years. herein a case of cured esophageal cancer with 14 years survival without recurrence is presented. he was operated to remove the esophageal tumor. this can presumably raise the question whether the origin of the tumor or its involvement has to be appreciated as recurrence or new independent one. iran j med sci 2006; 31(4): 238-239.   keywords ● esophagus ● cancer ● survival ● curability