Results of Treatment of Carcinoma of the Hypopharynx and Cervical Esophagus

Abstract

A retrospective analysis was made of 40 cases of carcinoma of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus treated between 1974 and 1992. Twenty-two lesions occurred in the piriform sinus, four in the postcricoid, five in the posterior wall, seven in the cervical esophagus and two were of unknown origin. Of the total, 55.3% were T3 or T4, and the rate of cervical lymph node metastasis was 52.6%. Of the total, 76.3% were Stage III or IV. The initial treatment methods applied in 38 cases were: irradiation including chemotherapy in 30 cases, surgery in seven cases, and no treatment in one case. Surgery for the local carcinomas including three recurrent cases consisted of pharyngolaryngectomy in four and pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy in six. Two-year and five-year survival rates for all patients were 36.8% and 14.8%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the two-year survival rates between the surgery group and the radiation group. © 1994, The Society of Practical Otolaryngology. All rights reserved.