Abstract
During the past 11 years, 33 cases of carcinoma of the esophagus underwent surgical treatment at the department of surgery, Zentsuji National Hospital.
They were 26 males and 7 females, aged from 51 to 82 years (mean age 64.3 years). The chief complaint was the passage disturbance or difficulty in swallowing and the duration of the disease was 1 to 3 months in the majority of the cases. Location of the lesion was middle intrathoracic esophagus (Im) in 19 cases, lower intrathoracic (Ei) in 7 cases, upper (Iu) and abdominal esophagus (Ea) in 3 cases in each one and cervical (Ce) in one case. Radiological and endoscopical findings showed the advanced cancer except 2 cases with early cancer in superficial elevated types (mm ca. and ep ca. in histological findings). The stage classification was Stage I in 2 cases, II in 8 cases, III in 9 cases and N in 14 cases.
About the operative methods, reconstructions were performed with antethoracic route on 13 and retrosternal on 11 cases. The organs for substitution were stomach on 24 cases. The operative deaths were 5 cases. The prognosis of them were very poor and all of them, except 3 cases who still alived over one year, died within 3 years after the operation.
Three cases had the simultaneous primary multiple cancers (ca. of the tongue, stomach and liver). Another one case combined with esophageal varices had very poor prognosis due to rapid bone metastasis.
