Esophageal tumors--the role of esophagoscopy

In Yugoslavia, esophageal cancer is the fourth most frequent malignant disease of the gastrointestinal tract, after stomach cancer, rectum, and colon cancer. Incidence of esophageal cancer in Croatia in 1975 was 6.0 per 100,000 population for males, and considerably less for females with 1.4 per 100,000 population. There is not a statistically significant difference in the incidence of esophageal cancer in the different regions within Croatia. During the period from March 1973 to April 1980 at the Central Institute for Tumors and Allied Diseases in Zagreb, esophagoscopy was performed on 179 patients with esophageal tumors. Test results of 170 patients was 60.4 years (male 60.0, female 62.4). The authors present the analyses of histopathologic types of tumors. In 79.4% of patients (135/170) squamous cell carcinoma was found. In 69 patients histologic findings were compared with cytology. In six patients, only the cytological examinations were positive. Furthermore, the localizations of tumors in the esophagus were analyzed, and in 53.6% of patients (91/170) tumor was localized in the middle third of the esophagus. In almost all cases the disease was advanced and inoperable. Smoking and alcoholism were analyzed as potential etiological factors. The authors consider that esophagoscopy could be a valuable method in the early detection of esophageal carcinoma in the high risk group of the population (men over 50 years of age who are heavy alcoholics and smokers).