Simple staging criteria for esophageal carcinoma: classification with a strict prognostic stratification

Some staging criteria for carcinoma of the esophagus have been proposed. However, none of them satisfied all the appropriateness providing an excellent prognostic stratification and simplicity to use. The aim of the current study was to establish simple and appropriate criteria to determine the clinical stage with a strict prognostic stratification for carcinoma of the esophagus. Two hundred sixty patients with esophageal carcinoma, who had undergone esophagectomy and reconstruction, were included. These patients were classified according to our newly established staging criteria (SN classification), and the clinicopathologic features and survival rates were investigated. The 1-, 3, and 5-year survival rates in patients classified as SN stage A were 100%, 94.7%, and 88.8%, respectively. In patients with stage B, the survival rates were 94.4%, 71.7%, and 62.2%. In patients in stage C were 72.3%, 33.5%, and 31.3%. In patients with stage D, survival rates were 32.4%, 8.9%, and 8.9%. All the comparative analyses between stages were significantly different (p = 0.002 for stage A vs. stage B, p < 0.0001 for stage B vs. stage C, and p < 0.0001 for stage C vs. stage D). Devised staging criteria for esophageal carcinoma providing an excellent stratification of disease has been established. The criteria are quite simple and convenient for physicians to apply clinically in determining the stage of esophageal carcinoma.