Clinical outcomes of synchronous head and neck and esophageal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate clinical outcomes of synchronous head and neck and esophageal cancer (SHNEC).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 27 SHNEC patients treated with curative intent at a single institution. The treatment modality for individual cases was usually determined on a case by case basis.


RESULTS
The median follow-up duration for the surviving patients was 28.2 months. The most common site of head and neck cancer was hypopharyngeal carcinoma (n = 21, 77.7%). The lower esophagus was the most common location of esophageal carcinoma (n = 16, 59.3%). The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 57.5% and 39.6%. Major pattern of failure was locoregional recurrence in the study patients. Esophageal cancer stage, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and pretreatment weight loss were significant prognostic factors for OS in univariate analysis. Treatment-related death was observed in two patients, and one patient developed a grade 4 late treatment-related complication.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the survival outcome for SHNEC is poor, long-term survival might be achievable with aggressive treatment with stage I-II esophageal cancer and good performance.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Won
JW
Park
Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sang-Wook
SW
Lee
Esophageal cancer; Head and neck cancer; Synchronous cancer