Clinical applicability of the study
With the development and improvement of minimal invasive therapy for early esophageal neoplasms, it has become more important to define high-risk groups and to perform UGI screening to detect early ESCNs.31 In our study, those patients underwent routine IEE screen without symptoms at the time of examination had more early Tis lesions (44% vs. 0%, p =0.0359) and more received minimal invasive therapy (75% vs. 0%, p =0.0013) than those with symptoms at examination. Although we did not make the survey of quality of life in patients with ESCNs after treatment, according to the literature’s report, patients underwent minimal invasive therapy did have the good quality of life. 18,32
In addition to the diagnosis of the malignant neoplasms of the esophagus, 46 patients (46%) had found the non-malignant problems. The laryngopharyngeal reflux was the most common (42%) problems at the IEE examination. It may have some benefits to treat the non-malignant diseases.