[Treatment of esophageal cancer in elderly patients]

During the last 30 years, the median survival time and 5-year survival rate of esophageal cancer have improved significantly. In recent years, two major factors have greatly contributed to improve the outcomes of treatment for esophageal cancer in Japan. One is the establishment of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of superficial esophageal cancer, and another is the establishment of a standard surgical procedure, subtotal esophagectomy with dissection of three field lymph nodes. In an aging society like Japan, with the increased incidence, the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer will become increasingly important in the future. The effectiveness and risk of surgical treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and combination therapy for elderly patients with esophageal cancer will also become important. However, the average life expectancy has reached 79 years for Japanese men, and various evidence from clinical research on patients less than 75 years old is not longer sufficient. Care of elderly patients with esophageal cancer has relied on past experience. Now, clinical studies on elderly esophageal cancer must be improved.