Mohammad Salih, Shahab Abid, Saeed Sadiq Hamid, Syed Hasnain Ali Shah, Zaigham Abbas, Syed Mohammad Wasim Jafri.
Carcinoma of the Esophagus: are we different?.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;15(5):313-4.

The present communication describes data concerning these predisposing factors in esophageal cancer cases. Medical records of patients with the diagnosis of carcinoma of esophagus were reviewed who presented between 1st October 1999 to 31st October 2002 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Complete data regarding presentation, type and site of tumor was available for 103 patients for evaluation and analysis. Mean age was 53.73± 13.89 years (range of 24 to 83 years) and males were 61 (59.2 %). Dysphagia, weight loss, nausea and vomiting, heart burn and regurgitation were the presenting symptoms in 94 (91.3%), 61 (59.2 %), 30 (29.1%), 18 (17.5%) and 14 (13.6%) patients respectively. Thirtyfive (34%) patients had history of smoking or tobacco chewing. SCC and ACA was present in 84 (81.6%) and 19 (18.4 %) patients (pvalue 0.05), respectively. SCC was present in 38/42 (90.4%) females (p-value 0.05). Proximal, middle and distal 1/3rd of esophagus was involved in 6 (5.8%), 38 (36.9%) and 59 (57.3%) of cases. Of these, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) was involved in 22 (21.4%) of the cases. The predominant type in the distal esophagus was SCC 41/59 (69.5%) patients while ACA in 18/59 (30.5%) cases. GEJ was involved in 22 patients; SCC 9/22 (40%) and ACA in 13/22 (60%) patients. In conclusion squamous cell carcinoma is the predominant cancer in this region even in the distal esophagus. A different underlying etiology of esophageal malignancy may be responsible in our set-up.

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