Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in metachronous squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and gastric adenocarcinoma.
Methods: From July 1979 to March 2005, 27 patients with metachronous carcinomas of the esophagus and stomach were treated, and the data were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical features were analyzed, which included sex, age, family history of cancers, TNM stages of the gastric and esophageal carcinomas, resection mode, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and the sequence of the two carcinomas taking place.
Results: There were 27 patients in this series including 24 males and 3 females, with a median age of 60 years (range: 36 - 73 years). Of the 27 patients, 29.6% had a family history of malignant tumors. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 61.0% and 52.0%, respectively, with a median survival of 105 months. Patients treated with surgical resection had a significantly longer survival than those without (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Metachronous squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and gastric adenocarcinoma show distinct clinical characteristics. Surgical resection is mostly effective and the first choice of treatment.