Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Performed by Gastroenterologists: Opportunistic Screening Strategy for Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancers

Chih-Wei Yang; Yueng-Hsiang Chu; Hsin-Chien Chen; Wei-Chen Huang; Peng-Jen Chen; Wei-Kuo Chang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.793318

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Performed by Gastroenterologists: Opportunistic Screening Strategy for Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancers

Front Oncol. 2022 May 27:12:793318. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.793318. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chih-Wei Yang¹, Yueng-Hsiang Chu², Hsin-Chien Chen², Wei-Chen Huang¹, Peng-Jen Chen¹, Wei-Kuo Chang¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Aim: Approximately 66% of head and neck cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. This prospective study aimed to detect newly diagnosed head and neck cancers using regular upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy with oral-pharynx-larynx examination.

Methods: A total of 2,849 patients underwent UGI endoscopy with an additional oral-pharynx-larynx examination. Patients aged < 20 years, those who were pregnant, had a history of head and neck cancers, were undergoing emergency endoscopy, and had a poor laryngopharyngeal view were excluded. The symptoms, incidence, location, pathology, and stage of malignant neoplasms were investigated.

Results: A total of 2,720 patients were enrolled. Endoscopically observable 23 abnormal findings (0.85%) included 18 (0.66%) benign lesions and 5 (0.18%) newly diagnosed malignant neoplasms. Notably, 4 (80%) of 5 patients with malignant neoplasms were diagnosed at an early stage (Stage 0, I, and II).

Conclusions: UGI endoscopy with oral-pharynx-larynx examination can achieve opportunistic head neck cancer screening and is recommended for every patient in endoscopy units.

Keywords: cancer; endoscopy; head and neck cancer; screening; upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.