[Cancer of the esophagus in the elderly]

After a review of the literature a study was conducted into oesophageal cancers among elderly patients in Pavia University's Institute of Surgical Pathology in 1974-1985. The results led to the following conclusions: this disease occurs most often among the elderly especially those in their sixties; symptoms (dysphagia, weight loss, regurgitation with epigastric and retrosternal pain are initially unclear which makes early diagnosis difficult; most cases require surgery. It is concluded that the appropriate tests should be performed at the first warning signs and that, once the condition is diagnosed, the elderly patient should be prepared for surgery which should be as radical as possible.