A study on the treatment strategy of synchronous double cancers at the esophagus and the pharynx

Abstract

To clarify treatment strategy of synchronous double cancers at esophagus and pharynx, 50 cases were studied. Early cancers had no symptom and 70〜75% of them were detected in yearly endoscopic checkup. On the other hand, 80〜90% of all advanced cancers had complaint and detected through examination for them. 1) In cases with early cancer both in pharynx and esophagus, Endoscopic Resection (ER) was applied for 75% of all pharyngeal cancer and 85% of esophageal cancer. Only one case was lost by cancer recurrence. 2) In 11 cases with early pharyngeal cancer and advanced esophageal cancer, 64% of them were lost by cancer death. 55% of 11 patients with advanced pharyngeal cancers and early esophageal cancers were lost by cancer death. 3) Only one patient among 8 with advanced cancer both in pharynx and esophagus survived after treatments.
In cases with synchronous pharyngeal and esophageal cancer, excellent results and function preservation were expected for patients with early cancer. Advance cancer strongly suggested poor prognosis and that good quality of life after treatment was most important.