Endoscopy 2010; 42(1): 1-7
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1243807
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Feasibility of endoscopic mucosal resection for superficial pharyngeal cancer: a minimally invasive treatment

H.  Suzuki1 , Y.  Saito1 , I.  Oda1 , S.  Nonaka1 , Y.  Nakanishi2
  • 1Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2Pathology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

submitted 2 June 2008

accepted after revision 21 August 2009

Publication Date:
11 January 2010 (online)

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Commentaire de travail de H. Suzuki et al., pp. 1Endoscopy 2010; 42(01): 90-90
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1291831

Background and study aims: New diagnostic techniques have recently been developed so detection of superficial pharyngeal cancer is dramatically increasing and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) can now be performed on an experimental basis. The aim of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of EMR for superficial pharyngeal cancer.

Patients and methods: Between 2004 and 2007, 31 patients with 37 pharyngeal lesions underwent EMR at our hospital. EMR using a cap-fitted endoscope (EMR-C) was used on 34 lesions and strip biopsies on the remaining three. We retrospectively assessed the effectiveness of those procedures in treating superficial pharyngeal cancer.

Results: Median procedure time was 45 minutes (range 20 – 180 minutes) and median hospital stay was 7 days (range 4 – 12 days). Regarding complications, one patient experienced laryngeal edema, one suffered aspiration pneumonia, and two sustained dermatitis around the mouth caused by Lugol staining. Histologically, 18 lesions were confirmed as carcinoma in situ and the other 19 lesions demonstrated microinvasion of the subepithelial tissue with lymphatic invasion in one case. During the median follow-up period of 40 months (range 21 – 62 months), two patients received radiotherapy and two patients underwent an additional EMR because of recurrent tumors. Five other patients developed metachronous superficial pharyngeal cancers, but all those lesions were resected primarily by EMR while two of the study’s 31 patients died from esophageal cancer. None of the remaining 20 patients experienced any recurrent or metachronous tumors during their follow-up periods.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that EMR was a safe, effective, and minimally invasive treatment for superficial pharyngeal cancer.

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Y. SaitoMD PhD 

Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital

5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku
Tokyo 104-0045
Japan

Fax: +81-3-35423815

Email: ytsaito@ncc.go.jp