Follow‐up results after resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma

Abstract

Abstract During the past 14.5 years, we have treated 430 patients with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. The resection rate was 72% and the overall operative mortality rate was 16%. During the past 5 years, the operative mortality rate has been markedly reduced to 4.5%. The low operative mortality rate in recent years is the result of selection of the operative procedure according to the criteria that we have established for one‐stage radical resection. The overall 5‐year survival rate was 16.5%. Prophylactic postoperative irradiation improved long‐term survival in patients who underwent curative resection; their 5‐year survival rate was 34.6%. Prophylactic irradiation was especially effective in patients who did not have lymph node metastases. The 5‐year survival rate was 87.5% in these patients. The majority of long‐term survivors were leading a normal life for their age .