Screening and surveillance of esophageal cancer by magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging improves the survival of hypopharyngeal cancer patients

Introduction

Patients with head and neck cancer may develop a second primary neoplasm (SPN) of the esophagus due to field cancerization. This study investigated the impacts of esophageal cancer screening using magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI) on the outcomes of hypopharyngeal cancer patients.

Methods

Patients with hypopharyngeal cancer diagnosed from 2008 to 2021 in a tertiary hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Screening and surveillance using ME-NBI examination of the esophagus were divided into three patterns: (1) ME-NBI never performed or more than 6 months after diagnosis of index primary hypopharyngeal cancer, (2) ME-NBI within 6 months only, and (3) ME-NBI within 6 months and regular surveillance.

Results

A total of 261 were reviewed and 21 (8%) patients were in stage I, 20 (8%) in stage II, 27 (10%) in stage III, 116 (44%) in stage IVA, 65 (25%) in stage IVB, and 12 (5%) in stage IVC. Sixty-seven (26%) patients had SPN (50 esophagus, 10 oral cavity, 3 oropharynx, 2 nasopharynx, 1 larynx and 1 lung). Among esophageal SPN, 35 (70%) and 15 (30%) patients developed synchronous and metachronous neoplasia, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, advanced stages III and IV (compared with stages I and II, HR: 1.86, 1.18-2.95, p=0.008), ME-NBI examination of the esophagus received within 6 months and regular surveillance (HR: 0.53, 0.36-0.78, p=0.001) were independent factors affecting the overall survival of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.

Discussion

Our findings demonstrated that screening and surveillance of esophageal SPN by ME-NBI improves the survival of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.

Delayed Response After Confirmed Progression (DR) and Other Unique Immunotherapy-Related Treatment Concepts in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Non-melanoma skin cancers are one of the most common cancers diagnosed worldwide, with the highest incidence in Australia and New Zealand. Systemic treatment of locally advanced and metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas has been revolutionized by immune checkpoint inhibition with PD-1 blockade. We highlight treatment issues distinct to the management of the disease including expansion of the traditional concept of pseudoprogression and describe delayed responses after immune-specific response criteria confirmed progressive disease with and without clinical deterioration. We term this phenomenon “delayed response after confirmed progression (DR)”. We also discuss the common development of second primary tumors, heterogeneous disease responses, and expanding clinical boundaries for immunotherapy use.

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