Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39169296›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2024

Esophageal cancers missed at upper endoscopy in Central Norway 2004 to 2021 - A population-based study.

Synne Straum, Karoline Wollan, Lars Cato Rekstad, Reidar Fossmark

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Characteristics and prognosis according to tumor location in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Artificial Intelligence in Upper Gastrointestinal Diagnosis.The Korean journal of helicobacter and upper gastrointestinal research · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Synne Straum *Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
Karoline Wollan *Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
Lars Cato RekstadDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, St Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Reidar FossmarkDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. reidar.fossmark@ntnu.no.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe incidence of esophageal cancers is increasing in many Western countries and the rate of missed esophageal cancers (MEC) at upper endoscopy is of concern. We aimed to calculate the MEC rate and identify factors associated with MEC.

methodsThis was a retrospective population-based cohort study including 613 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer in Central Norway 2004-2021. MEC was defined as esophageal cancer diagnosed 6-36 months after a non-diagnostic upper endoscopy. Patient characteristics, tumor localization, histological type and cTNM stage were recorded. Symptoms, endoscopic findings, use of sedation and endoscopists experience at the endoscopy prior to esophageal cancer diagnosis and at the time of diagnosis were recorded. The association between these factors and MEC was assessed.

resultsForty-nine (8.0%) of 613 cancers were MEC. There was a significant increase in annual numbers of esophageal cancer (p < 0.001) as well as of MEC (p = 0.009), but MEC rate did not change significantly (p = 0.382). The median time from prior upper endoscopy to MEC diagnosis was 22.9 (12.1-28.6) months. MEC patients were older and were diagnosed with disease with a lower cTNM stage and cT category than non-missed cancers, whereas tumor localization and histological type were similar between the groups. The use of sedation or endoscopist experience did not differ between the endoscopy prior to esophageal cancer diagnosis and at the time of diagnosis. High proportions of MEC patients had Barrett's esophagus (n = 25, 51.0%), hiatus hernia (n = 26, 53.1%), esophagitis (n = 10, 20.4%) or ulceration (n = 4, 8.2%). Significant proportions of MECs were diagnosed after inappropriate follow-up of endoscopic Barrett's esophagus, histological dysplasia or ulcerations.

conclusionsThe annual number of MEC increased during the study period, while the MEC rate remained unchanged. Endoscopic findings related to gastroesophageal reflux disease such as esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus were identified in a high proportion of patients with subsequent MECs. Cautious follow-up of these patients could potentially reduce MEC-rate.

Indexed as

Endoscopy, Digestive SystemEsophageal NeoplasmsMissed DiagnosisAgedFemaleHumansMaleNorwayRetrospective StudiesBarrett’s esophagusEpidemiologyEsophageal cancerQuality in endoscopy

Identifiers

PMID39169296
PMCPMC11337653

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.