Detection of metachronous esophageal squamous carcinoma in patients with head and neck cancer with use of transnasal esophagoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The use of transnasal esophagoscopy was examined for detecting metachronous esophageal squamous carcinoma in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS: In all, 398 transnasal esophagoscopies were performed in 293 previously treated patients with HNSCC between December 2007 and January 2009.

RESULTS: Metachronous esophageal squamous carcinoma was detected in 15 (5.1%) patients. The prevalence rate was 15.9% (7/44) in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, significantly higher than the 8.3% (2/24) with laryngeal, 7.1% (3/42) with oropharyngeal, and 1.6% (3/183) with oral cancer (p = .001). The stage distributions of esophageal squamous carcinoma were I-II in 12 (80%) and III-IV in 3 (20%) patients. Subsequently, curative strategies were performed in 13 (87%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal esophagoscopy can be used as a routine survey technique in patients with HNSCC to detect metachronous esophageal squamous carcinoma, especially in those with hypopharyngeal cancer.