Associated primary esophageal and lung carcinoma: a study of 39 patients.

From 1979 to 1992, of 1,294 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 39 patients (3.2%) (38 male patients, 1 female patient; mean age, 58 years) had associated primary lung carcinoma. Criteria for the diagnosis of primary lung carcinoma were: (1) non-squamous cell carcinoma tumors, (2) tumors existing before the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and (3) solitary squamous cell carcinoma presenting with endobronchial involvement. The two tumors were observed synchronously in 22 patients (56%) and metachronously in 17, with a mean tumor-free interval of 46 months (range, 18 to 77 months). In patients with synchronous disease, 10 underwent nonoperative treatment or a palliative surgical procedure, and 12 (55%) underwent a curative operation. In patients with metachronous disease, a curative operation was performed in all for the first tumor and in 9 (53%) for the second tumor. The overall postoperative mortality rate was 15%. Two patients (10%) died after the curative operation. None of the patients died who underwent curative esophagectomy combined with lobectomy. For the patients with synchronous disease, the 5-year survival rate was 11% in those who underwent a curative operation, and the longest survival in those who received palliative treatment was 18 months. For the patients with metachronous disease, the 5-year survival rates from the date of the diagnosis of the second tumor were 17% for those who had a curative operation and 11% for those who received palliative treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Appendiceal localization of bilharziasis: value of extemporaneous histological examination]. / Localisation appendiculaire de la bilharziose: valeur de l'examen histologique extemporané.

The association of appendicitis with schistosomiasis in the appendix is extremely rare in France. We report herein a new case in which the diagnosis was made, in the presence of pseudo-tumoral appendicitis, by frozen section biopsies. The patient presented with a typical acute appendicitis, without urinary symptoms, and with granulocytosis (14000 white cells/mm3, without eosinophilia). At laparotomy, the appendix was voluminous, with necrotic abscess, and lymph node masses were noted on the greater omentum. Frozen section biopsies of an omental tumor showed schistosoma eggs, without malignant cells. Appendicectomy and partial omentectomy were performed. Postoperative course was uneventful. Pathologic examination of the resected specimen showed schistosoma eggs in all layers of the appendix, and in the omentum. Final diagnosis was established by positive serology and by findings Schistosoma haematobium eggs in the urine. The patient was treated postoperatively by praziquantel. In conclusion, in case of acute appendicitis, with pseudotumorous appendix and lymph node masses, even with poor epidemiological findings on the clinical history, frozen section biopsies can sometimes establish the diagnosis of schistosomiasis with appendicitis, and avoid unjustified bowel resection.

[Associated cancers of the esophagus and the lung]. / Cancers associés de l'oesophage et du poumon.

The combination of cancers of the esophagus and of the ENT region has been extensively studied. Strangely enough, only a few cases of associated cancers of the esophagus and of the lung are reported in the literature. The authors report about 38 cases, including 21 with synchronous tumors and 17 with metachronous tumors. The bronchial cancer has always been discovered on systematic search during pre- or postoperative checkups in patients with cancers of the esophagus. Conversely, this search does not seem to have been made in patients with lung cancer: the cancer of the esophagus was always revealed by dysphagia. Double exeresis was performed in 19 patients (50%). There was no postoperative death. The duration and quality of survival were markedly better than in non-operated patients.