title: Long-term survival following diverticulectomy for cancer in pharyngoesophageal (Zenker's) diverticulum.
abstract: The incidence of cancer in a pharyngoesophageal (Zenker's) diverticulum was 0.4% among 1,249 patients treated for such diverticula at the Mayo Clinic in a 53-year period. Twenty-four patients with squamous cell carcinoma arising in a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum have been reported by others. However, most of the patients died of the malignancy within 2 years of treatment, and there were no long-term survivors. We describe 2 long-term survivors who were without evidence of tumor or diverticulum recurrence 4 1/4 and 8 years after one-stage pharyngoesophageal diverticulectomy. Review of the literature revealed that most patients with cancer in pharyngoesophageal diverticulum should be managed in a manner similar to that for patients with ordinary cervical esophageal malignancy. However, our data suggest that when the tumor is well localized without full-thickness penetration, nodal metastasis, or extension to the line of resection (as in the 2 patients discussed), diverticulectomy alone can provide satisfactory control of cancer with minimal therapeutic risk.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D004936:Diverticulum, Esophageal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography