Survival after resection for carcinoma of the oesophagus

During the period 1978-1984, 525 patients referred with cancer of the oesophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction were assessed for operation and cure. After investigation, 276 patients were selected and operated upon, as a rule, 4 weeks after radiotherapy (40 Gy/4 weeks). In 224 patients (81 per cent) the oesophagus and cardia were resected and reconstructed with stomach (69 per cent), colon (21 per cent), free ileal graft (7 per cent) or Roux-en-Y-oesophagojejunostomy (3 per cent). The postresectional hospital mortality was 14 per cent in all patients and decreased to 5 per cent in 1983. Mortality was higher when the colon was used for reconstruction than when the stomach was used. By postresection staging, 82 patients were found to have stages I and II tumours and 142 patients stage III tumours. Estimated 3-year survival after resection for all male patients was 28 per cent and for all female patients was 42 per cent. Estimated 3-year survival for all patients treated for adenocarcinoma was 31 per cent. Survival was better for stages I and II patients with adenocarcinoma (52 per cent) than for stage III patients (18 per cent) (P less than 0.01). Estimated 3-year survival for all patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma was 33 per cent. Estimated 3-year survival was better for stages I and II patients with squamous cell carcinoma (48 per cent) than for stage III patients (25 per cent) (P less than 0.001). It can be concluded from this study that resection of oesophagus and cardia after radiotherapy offers hope for cure in a subgroup of patients with non-advanced oesophageal cancer. The operation can be performed with acceptable mortality by experienced surgeons, especially when the stomach is used for reconstruction.