FAMILY AGGREGATION OF CARCINOMA OF THE HYPOPHARYNX AND CERVICAL ESOPHAGUS - SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MULTIPLICITY OF CANCER IN UPPER AERODIGESTIVE TRACT

The role of family history in the multiple occurrence of cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) remains unclear. The family historie s of close relatives were examined in 167 patients with either hypopha ryngeal or cervical esophageal cancer (PhCe cancer) and in 167 control subjects with benign diseases. The odds ratio for PhCe cancer was 2.6 in relation to family history of UADT cancers. Based on the family hi stories of close relatives, 167 cases with PhCe cancer were divided in to 3 groups (Group I, 18 cases with a family history of UADT cancer; G roup II, 37 cases with a family history of other cancers; Group III, 1 12 cases with no family history of any cancers). The mean age of the c ases in group I was 59.4, which was younger than in group III (64.2). Second primary squamous-cell carcinomas in the UADT were more frequent ly recognized in group I (39%) than in group III (11%). However, no di fferences were observed in the smoking and drinking habits of male pat ients between each group. These results thus suggest that a family his tory of UADT cancers appears to be associated with the multiple occurr ence of UADT cancers as well as the development of PhCe cancer. (C) 19 98 Wiley-Liss, Inc.