Carcinoma is one of the most severe complications of oesophageal diverticula. Its incidence varies from almost zero to 4 percent. The authors report 4 cases of carcinoma arising in a pharyngo-oesophageal diverticulum and 2 cases involving a diverticulum of the oesophageal body. In this disease, the diagnosis is often delayed, which may be the reason for the low long-term survival rate. The risk of carcinoma is another justification for resection of the pharyngooesophageal diverticulum. The post-surgical morbidity of the oesophageal body diverticula is an obstacle to systematic resection of these lesions.