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The treatment outcomes of synchronous and metachronous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

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Abstract

Background

The treatment outcomes of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have been poorly documented.

Patients and methods

We investigated 50 patients with synchronous and metachronous ESCC and HNSCC. We focused on the treatment results of 20 patients with synchronous ESCC and HNSCC who received simultaneous chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Results

There were 34 patients (68.0 %) with stage 0–I ESCC and 40 patients (80.0 %) with stage II–IV HNSCC. A total of 13 (26.0 %) patients underwent endoscopic mucosal resection and 28 (56.0 %) underwent CRT for ESCC, and 35 (70.0 %) of the patients with HNSCC were treated with CRT. The 5-year overall survival rates of the 50 patients with synchronous and metachronous ESCC and HNSCC was 57.8 %. For the 20 patients with synchronous ESCC and HNSCC who received simultaneous CRT, the CRT was completed in 19 (95.0 %) patients. Although grade 3–4 adverse events were observed in five (25.0 %) patients, there were no therapy-related deaths. Complete responses (CRs) of both ESCC and HNSCC were observed in ten (50.0 %) patients. The 5-year overall survival rate of the 20 patients was 60.0 %. CRs of both ESCC and HNSCC were obtained in seven (58.3 %) patients by using a cisplatin/5-FU regimen (n = 12), and in the other three (37.5 %) patients by a platinum-based monotherapy regimen (n = 8).

Conclusion

The surveillance of double cancer and the use of radical treatment contributed to the favorable outcome of the patients with ESCC and HNSCC. The optimal chemotherapy regimen for simultaneous CRT remains to be determined.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Brian Quinn for assisting with the preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan

    Hiroshi Saeki, Yasushi Toh, Masaru Morita, Masahiko Sugiyama, Kazutoyo Morita, Yasuo Sakamoto, Yuji Soejima, Kazuhito Minami, Yoshihisa Sakaguchi & Takeshi Okamura

  2. Division of Head and Neck Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan

    Yuichiro Higaki

  3. Department of Radiology, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan

    Satoru Uehara

  4. Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Hiroshi Saeki & Yoshihiko Maehara

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  1. Hiroshi Saeki
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Correspondence to Hiroshi Saeki.

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Saeki, H., Toh, Y., Morita, M. et al. The treatment outcomes of synchronous and metachronous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Esophagus 9, 158–164 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10388-012-0334-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10388-012-0334-8

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