[Lugol staining for esophageal carcinoma and influence of radiotherapy]

For evaluating the endoscopic staining of the esophageal carcinoma with lugol solution, 50 patients who underwent esophagectomy for carcinoma were subjected to this study. Among the 50 patients, 21 were radiated before surgery and 29 were not radiated. The findings of the lugol staining were compared between endoscopic staining and staining on removed specimens. Non-staining area demonstrated by endoscopic procedure almost agreed with that by the procedure on removed specimen in non-radiation group, but both areas of 28.6% cases disagreed in radiation group. On the second step, the extent of non-staining area demonstrated by the procedure of removed specimen was compared with histological extent of carcinoma. The non-staining area on the removed specimen was more extended than histological extent of carcinoma; 10.3% in the non-radiation group and 71.4% in the radiation group. As one of the causes of the large non-corresponding rate in the radiation group, radiation esophagitis was demonstrated. It can be finally concluded that the reliability of endoscopic lugol staining is reduced by preoperative irradiation.