Clinicopathological and biological characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma associated with head and neck cancer

Objective: Esophageal cancer has been reported to be frequently associated with cancer of the head and neck. The iodine dye method is reportedly useful to detect early esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to clarify clinicopathological and biological characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma associated with head and neck cancer (HN group). Methods: Thirty-seven patients of the HN group who underwent esophagectomy were examined clinicopathologically compared to 42 patients with esophageal cancer alone (SE group). All resected specimens were histologically studied after iodine dye staining, and p53 and cyclin D1 (CD1) expression were immunohistochemically examined in esophageal cancer. Results: The HN group had more multiple iodine-unstained lesions and multiple primary cancers within the esophagus compared with the SE group (p = 0.0027, p = 0.067, respectively). There was no significant difference in smoking, drinking, family history and the other clinicopathological factors between the HN and SE groups. Coexpression of p53 and CD1 was found to be significant in the HN group (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The coexistence of multiple iodine-unstained lesions, multiple cancers in the esophagus and overexpression of p53 and CD1 is suggested as a risk factor for the HN group. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.