[Diagnostic and therapeutic problems in carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia]

The authors describe their experience with the treatment of 180 patients with tumours of the oesophagus and cardia, during a 13-year period, at the Surgical Clinic, Medical Faculty, Comenius University, Bratislava. Most frequently the tumorous process was in the median portion of the oesophagus. A radical operation could be performed only in 27.2% of patients. The reason was that frequently the tumours were already very advanced when the patients were admitted to the surgical department; that means: late diagnosis. This explains also the short postoperative survival. The authors analyze the reasons for the above described facts and submit their concept of the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the problem of carcinoma of the oesophagus and cardia.