Panendoscopy and simultaneous primary tumours in patients presenting with early carcinoma of the mobile tongue

Many patients who present with primary malignant disease of the head and neck are examined under anaesthesia to see if they have synchronous tumours. Although previous studies have attempted to establish whether this is either efficient or cost-effective, the patients included tended to include heterogeneous index sites as well as newly-diagnosed and previously-diagnosed tumours. Seventy-four patients who presented with newly-diagnosed early carcinoma of the mobile tongue (T1 N0 / T2 N0) were studied. None had any symptoms of other upper aerodigestive tract disease and all had panendoscopy including bronchoscopy and oesophagoscopy. Only three had serious abnormalities, of which two were synchronous carcinomas. In no patient did the findings of the panendoscopy influence definitive treatment of the index tumour.Although there was no morbidity associated with panendoscopy among these patients, the routine use of panendoscopy we conclude that it is not warranted.