[Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus]

The operative mortality has decreased in recent years, nevertheless, a similar improvement in the long term results remains to be seen. To improve the long term results, the extensive operation with multidisciplinary treatment has been performed. The dissection of lymph nodes is ordinarily carried out systematically beginning from the uppermost thoracic tracheal lymph nodes as far as the celiac and the common hepatic artery lymph nodes. In the extensive dissection, the thoracic tracheal lymph nodes are dissected circumferentially additionally to this procedure. The incidence of a3 cancer cases of the esophagus was 25%. The infiltration was seen mainly in the trachea, the bronchus and the aorta. The combined resection of these important invaded organs was carried out in several institutions, however, the improvement in the prognosis remains to be seen yet. The exact diagnosis and the definite indication are required for these extended operations.