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CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 10, 90-96, Copyright © 1960 by American Cancer Society

Exfoliative Cytology of the Esophagus

¹ The Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Cytologic study of exfoliated esophageal cells is the simplest and most accurate of all gastrointestinal cytologic procedures. It should be used freely and is indicated in patients who have even the most minor esophageal symptoms. Every patient with dysphagia or esophageal narrowing seen by X ray deserves this examination. The accuracy in diagnosis of cancer with simple lavage techniques is 94 to 98 per cent in various clinics.

In reviewing the depressing results of surgical therapy in esophageal carcinoma, it is well to remember that in situ carcinoma has been diagnosed by the cytologic method. One third of squamous carcinomas of the esophagus are theoretically "curable" after symptoms have developed. It is indeed possible that even more tumors would be curable in reality if the diagnosis were made earlier by cytologic examination, expertly performed.