[Surgical treatment of esophageal cancer: Part I. European results 1980-1991]

Abstract

During the past 10 years, postoperative mortality associated with resection of oesophageal carcinoma has been reduced from 30% to 11%. However, all efforts to improve longterm survival with extensive excisional procedures and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have failed. Fifty-three of 100 patients presenting to the surgeon with an oesophageal carcinoma have resectable disease. Six of them will die from postoperative complications and 47 patients will be discharged from the hospital after an average of 3 weeks. Of these patients, 30 will survive the first, 17 th second, and 7 the fifth year. Although in may be possible to further reduce postoperative complications and mortality, the chances of improving the long-term prognosis of patients with oesophageal carcinoma seem small.