A new cell-collecting method by esophageal sonde for cytologic detection of esophageal carcinoma at the early stage

Authors devised an abrasive technique by esophageal sonde with sponge as the cytologic screening method for detection of esophageal cancer at the time of upper gastro-intestinal endoscopic examination in Endoscopic Center of Dokkyo University Hospital and Tochigi Cancer Detection Center. Guiding tube is placed at the lower pharynx and endoscopic equipment is intubated through this tube. After removing gastroendoscope, esophageal sonde with sponge at the tip of it is inserted through this tube. Size of sponge attached at the tip of esophageal sonde is 15×20mm and it might be enough to abrase the all mucosa of the esophagus. Five cases of early cancer and one of advanced of the esophagus were detected by cytology using this technique among 2, 787 cases during the period of 1974 to 1984. Localisation of early esophageal cancer was as follows; one at Ce, 3 at Im and one at Ea. Among these early cancer cases, 4 were m type (cancer in situ) and one was submucosal type. The smallest size of early cancer cases was 10×13mm in size. False negative case was not found in the present series. If these cases being performed sponge cytology is considered as high risk group because they visited both clinic with any symptoms and complaints, the incidence of early cancer detected by this technique was 0.18%. As the incidence of esophageal cancer by screening of X-ray is about 0.005-0.013%, this technique of cytologic screening using esophageal sponge must be very effective and valuable because of incidence of more than 10 times compared with the X-ray screening.