Multiple primary cancers associated with esophageal carcinoma

This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of esophageal cance rs with primary synchronous or metachronous cancer in another organ. We ret rospectively evaluated 744 patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophag eal cancers between 1985 and 1998. The patients were divided into two group s according to whether they had multiple primary cancer (MPC) or nonmultipl e primary cancer (NPC). Stage I cancer was significantly more frequent amon g patients with MPC than among those with NPC (P < 0.0001). Among patients with MPC, another primary cancer was found in the head and neck region in 7 0 (42.4%), in the stomach in 51 (30.9%), and in the colon, lung, breast, an d other locations in the remaining patients. Of the 70 patients with anothe r primary cancer in the head and neck region, 32 (45.7%) had pharyngeal can cer. Furthermore, the incidence of intraesophageal multiple cancer in the p atients with primary cancer in the head and neck region was significantly h igher than that in those whose other primary cancers were gastric cancer or in those with NPC (P = 0.0135, P < 0.0001). The 5-year survival rate of th e patients with MPC was 51.28%, which was significantly higher than that of those with NPC (P = 0.019). In conclusion, a better knowledge of the relat ionships between esophageal carcinoma and cancers in other organs may lead to earlier detection of other primary cancers and improved therapeutic resu lts.