[Early detection of esophageal cancers, with special reference to the intraepithelial stage]

Panendoscopic examination, performed in 4,130 healthy males older than 50 years, detected 9 esophageal cancers (0.22%). Of these, 6 were classified as early esophageal cancer, and 3 of these 6 had intraepithelial cancers. In efforts to detect early esophageal cancers, especially at the intraepithelial cancer stage, panendoscopic examination seems to be highly useful.