Esophageal cancer from the German point of view

Although there are no differences worth mentioning between esophageal cancer in Japan and in Europe regarding epidemiology, tumor stages at the beginning of therapy and surgical selection. In Japan, early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is more often diagnosed than in Europe where esophageal adenocarcinoma, especially that of the endobrachyesophagus, is becoming more and more relevant. For a long time, the limiting factor for the prognosis of esophageal cancer was the postoperative lethality. However, by carefully analysing the factors influencing this operative lethality over the last few years, the lethality following esophagectomy has been decreased to approximately 15 per cent. In fact, in some specialized centers, the lethality is now less than 10 per cent and in selected patient groups even 3 per cent has been reached. It is only through this achievement that the prognosis for esophageal cancer has been able to be markedly improved. The results of this analysis can be detailed as follows: 1) The preoperative definition of tumor stage by CT or MRI is not reliable, the validity being between 45 per cent and 73 per cent. Therefore, no therapeutical decision can be made on the basis of these diagnostic procedures. Hopefully the intraluminal ultrasound will improve this situation in the future. 2) The analysis of preoperative nutritional status did not allow a definition of risk groups. 3) Decisive improvements were able to be achieved by the standardising of surgical procedures and indications. Enbloc resection is indicated for all intrathoracic squamous cell carcinomas and accounts for a high percentage of RO-resections. The blunt dissection is especially appropriate for distal adenocarcinomas. 4) Endobronchial one-sided ventilation during the operation and prophylatic assisted ventilation have both decreased the pulmonary risk considerably. A further improvement in the prognosis of esophageal carcinoma can possibly be achieved by the preoperative identification of advanced tumors (T3/T4) and preoperatively treating these tumor types accordingly. From our own experience, we believe combined radio-chemotherapy could be successful.