Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Esophageal Cancer Patients in Northwest Iran- Very Low Incidence of Adenocarcinomas

Aims: Iran is one of the known countries with a high incidence of esophageal cancer in Asia .We have recentlyshown that the incidence of Barrett’s esophagus , a precancerous lesion for esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC) is verylow in the north –west of the country . Therefore, we hypothesized that esophageal AC would also be lower than inthe Western world. The aim of this study was to assess the clinicopathologic characteristics of esophageal cancer incomparison the data from western populations.
Methods: This mixed (prospective-retrospective) study enrolled350 consecutive patients with esophageal cancers (216 endoscopically and pathologically documented, including 134surgically proven cases) from May 2000 to May 2006, in our referral center in Tabriz, in the north –west of Iran. Welocalized the tumors in esophagus and esophago-gastric junction. Type III gastric cardial cancers were excluded.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 61 ± 12.36 (min 16, max 83). The male to female ratio was almost equal(51.7% vs 48.3%). The lower third of the esophagus was involved in 62% of the patients and esophageal ACs accountedfor 18.9% of the cases. However, distinct esophageal adenocarcinomas was only seen in two and in the remaindergastric cardia was also involved. SCC was more frequent in females, and adenocarcinoma in males (x 2=8.89 , df=2, p=0.012 . Among 134 operated cases , resection was feasible in 74.6%.
Conclusion: In this Iranian population , theincidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is very much lower than inWestern countries.