Esophageal carcinoma cases surviving for more than ten years in Japan

The early results of surgical treatment of esophageal cancer were unfavorable, but have steadily improved. At present, more than 1,000 surgical procedures for carcinoma of the esophagus are performed annually in Japan, with an operative mortality of around 6%; long-term results are steadily improving. In a survey of the 256 institutional members of the Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases, 387 patients were found to have survived for 10 years or more. The main factors affecting prognosis are the size of the lesion, degree of invasion, extent of metastasis, and stage. Mild problems of regurgitation or heartburn in 25.5% of cases point to a need for improved operative procedures; the fact that 31.2% have died due to malignant disease, including recurrence, emphasizes the need for follow-up.