The short-term and long-term outcomes of the endoscopic resection for the superficial pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background and study aims: Early detection of superficial pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SPSCC) using narrow-band imaging as well as the increasing use of ER for gastrointestinal cancers may increase the number of ER for SPSCC. The aims of this study were to clarify the feasibility of ER for SPSCC and its long-term outcomes. Patients and methods: In total, 84 patients with 115 lesions were treated by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) between March 2004 and August 2012. We retrospectively assessed the en bloc and R0 resection rates, complications, lymph node metastasis (LNM), local recurrence, metachronous pharyngeal and esophageal SCC, 5-year overall and cause-specific survival rates. Results: Higher proportions of en bloc and R0 resection were achieved with ESD compared to EMR (en bloc 100 % vs. 60 %, P < 0.001; R0 59 % vs. 26 %, P < 0.005). There were no significant complications in both groups. None of the patients died from primary SPSCC during the median follow-up of 34 months (range, 3 – 115). LNM occurred in three patients and local recurrence was detected in seven patients (8.3 %) with eight lesions. Tumor thickness over 1000 μm (P < 0.005) and positive or inconclusive horizontal margins (P < 0.05) were significant risk factors for LNM and local recurrence, respectively. Twelve patients died because of co-existing clinical conditions. The 5-year overall and cause-specific survival rates were 80.7 % and 100 %, respectively. Conclusions: ER for SPSCC is a feasible treatment with promising results. Tumor thickness over 1000 μm is a significant risk factor for LNM and positive or inconclusive horizontal margin is a risk factor for local recurrence.