The diagnostic accuracy of pharyngoesophagram compared to esophagoscopy in patients with head and neck cancer.

Two hundred and fifty-four patients with head and neck cancer were entered into a prospective study comparing the results of pharyngoesophagram to esophagoscopy. All patients had pharyngoesophagram deemed adequate to evaluate the esophagus and rigid esophagoscopy to at least 30 cm from the upper incisor teeth. In 239 (94.1%) patients both the pharyngoesophagram and esophagoscopy were negative. Four esophageal tumors were found. Only one of these tumors (25%) was detected on pharyngoesophagram. We believe that the pharyngoesophagram should be a part of the initial work-up of every head and neck cancer patient and should precede esophagoscopy. However, the barium swallow cannot be relied upon exclusively to detect small simultaneous second primary esophageal malignancies.