[Results of resection of the esophagus in cancer]

Since 1964 245 resections of the esophagus because of cancer were performed at the University Hospital of Cologne. Hospital mortality was 27%. It was reduced to 12.1% during the last 5 years. Surgeon's experience turned out to be of major influence upon hospital mortality whereas tumor and organ related risk factors or kind of the operating procedure didn't influence hospital mortality at all. Five year survival rates that included hospital mortality were 15.5% and were 23.2% without. Patient's late outcome was influenced significantly by tumor staging and histological grading. Radical operating procedure--blunt dissection or transthoracal esophagectomy--were of no prognostic value.