Risk Factors for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common second primary neoplasia in patients with a history of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim of this study was to provide further information and novel insights into the risk factors for ESCC in patients with HNSCC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 98 HNSCC patients diagnosed from 2007 to 2017, 30 HNSCC patients suffering from ESCC, who had undergone endoscopic examination because of positive imaging examinations or symptoms, and 68 HNSCC patients who had no ESCC occurrence for at least six years post-HNSCC diagnosis. Associated clinicopathological data and lifestyle information of the ESCC group and the without ESCC group were collected, and a case-control study of risk factors was analyzed between the two groups. RESULTS: The majority (83.4%) of the cases with HNSCC esophageal cancers were male patients over 50 years. We established that 93.75% (30/32) of the ESCC occurred within six years after HNSCC diagnosis. HNSCC location, stage, and radiotherapy history had no significant association with the development of ESCC. High Ki67 labeling index (Ki67 LI) (>46) patients tended to be 3.1 times (95% CI = 1.3–7.6) more likely to develop ESCC compared to low Ki67 LI (≤45) patients (P < 0.05). Drinkers with alcohol flushing response were at a 3.3 times higher risk to have ESCC (95% CI = 1.0–10.4) than drinkers without flush response (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HNSCC patients, especially drinkers with an alcohol flushing response, as well as those with high Ki67 LI of HNSCC tissue, were more likely to develop ESCC.