ENDOSCOPIC TREATMENT FOR PHARYNGEAL AND CERVICAL ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Abstract

Because the area from the pharynx to the cervical esophagus is challenging to observe endoscopically, cancer in this area is easily missed. Advanced cancer in this region often requires invasive treatments such as surgical resection. However, recent advances in endoscopic diagnosis, such as image-enhanced endoscopy, have enabled the early detection of pharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancers. Many patients with superficial pharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancers can be treated with minimally invasive endoscopic resection (ER). However, performing ER is difficult owing to the narrow working space and poor maneuverability of the endoscope. Therefore, ER for pharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancers is performed with some ingenuity, such as general anesthesia with tracheal intubation and laryngeal exposure using a curved laryngoscope. After ER for pharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancers, appropriate surveillance is needed to detect lymph node metastasis and metachronous head and neck and esophageal cancers.