title: Globus sensation as early presentation of hypopharyngeal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify if patients with early hypopharyngeal carcinoma can present with only the single complaint of globus sensation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching Hospital in Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort of 23 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Retrospective review of their case notes with regards to their hospital pathway from initial referral from the General Practitioner to diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptoms & signs on presentation, subsequent investigations and time interval between initial presentation and diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified two patients (9%) who presented early with globus or other soft symptoms as the only complaint and with normal clinical findings. There was a 78%'pick up' rate of abnormalities in the barium swallow examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe this can have important clinical implications in the screening & investigation of globus patients who represent a significant outpatient workload. We review the relevant literature.
authors: Department of Otolarygology, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UK. atsikoudas@yahoo.co.uk
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tsikoudas
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Ghuman
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Riad
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate