Esophageal cancer: radiographic chest findings and their prognostic significance

Abstract

In 103 patients with a diagnosis of carcinoma of the esophagus, admission chest films were reviewed for abnormal findings attributable to the carcinoma. The presence or absence of these findings was analyzed and correlated with tumor resectability, complications, overall survival, and survival as related to tumor location. Unexpectedly, the group of patients who had normal films had a lower resectability rate (30% vs. 41%). There was no significant difference in survival rates of patients with or without chest film abnormalities (12.4 vs. 11.7 months).