Comparison of endoscopy and barium swallow in the diagnosis of esophageal stricture

Oesophageal causes of dysphagia localised only to the pharynx: Implications for the suspected head and neck cancer pathway

“…It also recommends that “…when reporting a normal study to a non‐specialist referrer, endoscopy should routinely be suggested if symptoms possibly related to a diagnosis of oesophageal cancer continue…”. The reported sensitivity of barium swallow for detecting obstructive oesophageal pathology including oesophageal cancer (Figure ) ranges between 67% and 100% As such, if the possibility of oesophageal cancer is considered, and we would posit that the presence of PLD alone should lead to this clinical suspicion, then direct oesophageal and cardio‐oesophageal visualisation should be performed. Interestingly, Mochloulis et al found that 7/65 patients with an eventual diagnosis of oesophageal cancer were originally referred to ENT, most commonly via the suspected head and neck cancer pathway, with symptoms compatible with that diagnosis, and of those 5/7 were not promptly identified through that initial referral.…”