Presentation and prognosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients below age 50

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States, is increasingly recognized in younger patients in whom the clinicopathologic features have been poorly described. We aim to compare clinical presentation between early (i.e., ≤50 years of age) and later onset EAC, and to evaluate factors associated with survival. All patients diagnosed with EAC at our hospital between 1994 and 2004 were evaluated. Demographics, social history, family history of cancer, clinical presentation, diagnosis during Barrett's surveillance, endoscopic and histologic findings, treatment, and survival were compared between patients older than 50 and ≤50 years of age. Thirty-one of 242 (12.8%) patients were ≤50 years at diagnosis. Patients ≤50 were more likely to present with dysphagia (80% vs. 60%, P = 0.003) and have lymphatic spread at diagnosis (48% vs. 31%, P = 0.015). Median survival was 21.1 months (range 13.1-31.4) for younger patients and 22.0 months (range 20.0-28.1) for older patients (P = NS). Factors associated with shortened survival were dysphagia at presentation, advanced histologic grade, lymphatic spread, and esophagectomy. By multivariable analysis, shortened survival was associated with histologic grade (P = 0.03) and lymphatic spread (P = 0.01). Younger patients comprise a considerable proportion of newly diagnosed EAC. Diagnosis is delayed in younger patients presenting with dysphagia which contributes to adverse outcomes and advanced stage at time of diagnosis. Early endoscopy should be performed in the evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dysphagia, particularly for patients younger than 50 years.