Esophageal cancer in Indigenous Australians in Far North Queensland

Background and Aims: There is very little information known about esophageal cancer in Indigenous persons. In this retrospective study, we investigated the epidemiological and clinical features of Indigenous Australians with esophageal cancer.

Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians diagnosed with esophageal cancer at Cairns Base Hospital during the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006. Information was obtained from hospital medical records, Queensland Cancer Registry survival data and Queensland Health Pathology Services laboratory results.

Results: Thirteen Indigenous and 53 non-Indigenous patients were diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for a significantly higher proportion of esophageal cancers among Indigenous (11/13) than non-Indigenous patients (24/53) (P = 0.0135). Among patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer, Indigenous patients were more likely than non-Indigenous patients to present with metastatic disease (P = 0.0271) at a younger mean age (50.7 years vs 67.2 years; P = 0.0002). There was no significant difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients concerning their mean survival time from date of biopsy (P = 0.7834) and whether patients had ever smoked (P = 0.0721) or consumed alcohol (P = 0.2849).

Conclusion: There is a high incidence of squamous esophageal cancer in the Indigenous population in Far North Queensland. Indigenous persons tend to present at a younger age and with metastatic disease.