Bypass Operation as Palliation for Unresectable Esophageal Cancer: Selection of Suitable Patients

We evaluated the bypass operation as palliation for unresectable esophageal cancer. In this study, patients were divided into 2 groups. Group A included 19 patients with good progress, defined as sufficient oral ingestion for more than 2 months. The other 10 patients were in Group B and had poor progress. Oral ingestion was impossible postoperatively in 2 of 29 cases. Although there is a difference of a grade, other patients could have improvement of quality of life. Patients with no preoperative therapy and patients whose nutrient state was maintained comparatively well had a good adaptation after bypass surgery. We concluded that if the surgeon chooses the patients carefully, bypass is a very useful operative method.