Lymph node dissection in surgical treatment of esophageal neoplasms

Until now therapy of carcinoma of the esophagus has presented an aura of pessimism, resulting in an attitude among physicians that cure was impossible. Presently the overall 5-year survival is between 38.3% and 55% thanks to new radical surgical techniques. The aim of this work is to evaluate lymph node dissection in treatment of esophageal carcinoma by analyzing morbidity, mortality, survival and quality of life.

From 1975 to 1995, 170 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia underwent operation, of whom 165 underwent 2-field lymphadenectomy and four 3-field lymphadenectomy; one patient was submitted to self-transplanting jejunal loop to neck. One hundred and twenty-two patients had standard resection and 47 en bloc resection.

Lymph node involvement is often found in patients with superficial carcinoma and it greatly influences outcome after esophagectomy. In 2-field lymphadenectomy morbidity and mortality are more frequent in en bloc resections; global 3-year survival was better in patients with early lesions. Three-field lymphadenectomy was performed in only few cases, not sufficient to express a definitive opinion.

On the basis of our experience, we conclude that the better survival is particularly dependent on early diagnosis, histological type of neoplasia and following surgical treatment, especially on the type of resection with 2 or 3-field lymphadenectomy.