Caustic burns and carcinoma of the esophagus.

A history of caustic injury was obtained in 12 of 846 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The average age was 52.8 years; the interval from injury to development of carcinoma was 45.8 years. Nine of the 12 carcinomas were in the midthoracic segment. Resection was possible in nine patients, with two surviving over ten years. A survey of reported series with this association confirms the increased resection rate and probability of long survival compared with the usual carcinoma of the esophagus.