Role of gastroesophageal reflux in precancerous conditions and in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx: our experience

The major risk factors for the onset of precancerous lesions and squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx are, above all, tobacco smoke, alcohol abuse and exposure to viral and toxic agents. In recent years, however, gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) has also aroused significant interest not only as carcinogen but also as co-carcinogen in association with smoking and alcohol consumption. The purpose of the present work is to provide an objective evaluation of the presence of distal and proximal esophageal reflux using multi-electrode pH monitoring in patients with precancerous lesions of the larynx and laryngeal and pharyngolaryngeal neoplasms. A total of 24 patients consecutively hospitalized during 2000 were evaluated: 20 with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and/or pharynx-larynx and 4 with precancerous vocal cord lesions. All the patients provided a case history using a validated questionnaire and underwent electronic videolaryngoscopy and 24-hour pH monitoring. Data analysis showed that in 83.3% of the cases (20/24) pH monitoring was indicative of pathological GER and 63.7% of these patients had no complaints related to reflux. Moreover, 7/24 patients have had a previous gastrectomy (Billroth II) strictly related to the presence of bile reflux. The Authors conclude that, according with recent literature, pH monitoring data further indicate that patients with precancerous or neoplastic pharyngeal-laryngeal lesions present often a positive history of GER, even though no direct cause-effect relationship can yet be established because of the co-existence of other important risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Additionally, the achlorhydria found in 7/24 patients with an history of gastrectomy could suggest a possible, as yet unproven, role of other reflux components--in particular, of bile (alkaline) and chlorhydro-peptic (acid) components--as a risk factor or co-factor for tonset of precancerous and/or neoplastic lesions of the larynx.