A case of squamous cell carcinoma initially diagnosed as cN4 with diffuse lymph node swelling which disappeared after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori

A male patient in his early seventies complained of swallowing difficulty and back pain. Esophagogastroscopy was performed and the patient was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma in the middle and lower part of the esophagus with a longitudinal submucosal elevation of 15 cm and S2 stage of gastric ulcer infected by Helicobacter pylori. Multiple lymph node swelling was detected not only in the mediastinum but also in the neck and the para-aortic area by CT scanning. The clinical stage was T3 N4 M0 Stage IVa. Systemic chemotherapy was applied first and the curative effectiveness was SD based on the RECIST criteria. PET revealed accumulation of FDG in the esophageal and stomach wall. These lesions were suspected to be HP-infected esophageal cancer, and Helicobacter pylori elimination was performed. After HP eradication, the tumor of the esophagus, submucosal elevation of esophagus, and gastric ulcer was markedly shrunk. Multiple lymph node swelling was definitely shrunk based on CT. Overall the early esophageal cancer remained. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed. The pathological diagnosis was Type 0-IIc, pT1b(SM2), ly1, v2, pHM0, pVM0. After ESD, he indicated febrile neutropenia, was diagnosed as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) during the follow-up period and chose best supportive care (BSC).