Oesophageal carcinoma in India. Some epidemiologic and morphologic considerations.

Oesophageal carcinoma constituted 2.39% of all malignancies, and 17.11% of gastrointestinal tract malignancies, over a period of 12 years, in Sir Sunder Lal Hospital population in Varanasi. The highest frequency occurred in the sixth decade. The male:female ratio was 2.2:1, this ratio tended to diminish with age. Out of 202 cases the middle third of the oesophagus was involved in 104, the lower third in 72 and the upper third in 26 cases. Although squamous cell carcinoma was by far the most frequent histologic type (193 cases), genuine primary oesophageal adenocarcinoma did occur in 3, and the tumour was completely anaplastic in the remaining 6 cases. The prognostic bearing of certain morphologic features has been discussed. Oesophageal carcinoma is one of the most frequent malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract and a common tumour in elderly Indian men and women.