The Role of the Upper Gastrointestinal Study in Evaluation of Patients with Head and Neck Cancers

두경부종양환자에서 시행한 상부위장관검사의 유용성

Background and Objectives: Multiple primary tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract are not unusual. We examined head and neck cancer patients to discover the presence of second primary cancer in their upper gastrointestinal tract, using esophagogastroscopy. Materials and Methods: Endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract was performed on 51 patients whose head and neck cancers were treated at department of therapeutic radiology from August 1996 to April 1999. Two of all patients had been studied by barium swallowing study. In 51 patients, twenty-four had a primary tumor in the larynx, 8 in the oropharynx, 6 in the nasopharynx, 6 in the oral cavity, 6 in the hypopharynx, and 1 in the nasal cavity. Endoscopically pathologic lesions were biopsied. In control group, endoscopy was performed on 1097 patients who didn't complain any symptoms. Results: Endoscopy showed early malignant lesions in 4 cases(7.7%). Histology of esophageal cancers showed squamous cell carcinoma. Malignant lesions of stomach in 2 cases were histologically identified as adenocarcinoma. Two esophageal cancers occurred in patients whose primary lesions had oropharynx and hypopharynx. Two cases of gastric cancer were also accompanied by oropharynx and hypopharynx. The incidence of second primary cancer was 2 in oropharynx and 2 in hypopharynx. In all cases, second primary cancers were found simultaneously. In control group, 9(0.8%) of 1097 patients were confirmed as early esophageal and gastric cancers. Conclusion: The majority of esophageal and gastric cancer detected by endoscopy were early stage in both head and neck cancer and control group. The incidence of esophageal and gastric cancer of head and neck cancer patients was 10 times as high as that of control group. Although followup period was short, all second primary cancers were detected simultaneously. We would recommend that endoscopic evaluation be included in the workup and followup of all patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer.