Clinical analysis of 20 cases of synchronous multi-primary esophageal carcinomas

Abstract

To explore the clinicopathologic findings, endoscopic features and preoperative diagnostic rates of synchronous multi-primary esophageal carcinomas. A total of 602 inpatients were diagnosed as esophageal carcinomas from January 1990 to April 2012. According to Warren's criteria, 20 cases of synchronous multi-primary esophageal carcinomas were enrolled. There were 13 males and 7 females with a mean age of (62 ± 11) years at the onset of diagnosis. Clinicopathologic features and diagnostic methods were studied retrospectively. There were a total of 45 synchronous multi-primary esophageal carcinomas. Most lesions occurred in middle and lower thoracic esophagus (40 lesions, 88.9%) and were of fungating type (27 lesions, 60.0%) under endoscopy. Histologically the most common type was squamous cell carcinoma (36 lesions, 80.0%). Eleven cases of upper gastro-enterography (n = 15) and 6 cases of endoscopy (n = 11) were miss-diagnosed respectively. Because of a high rate of missed diagnosis, a clinician should be aware of multi-esophageal carcinomas. It is important to perform upper gastro-enterography, abdominal computed tomography and endoscopy conscientiously to improve the diagnosis.