[The management of cervical esophageal cancer by head and neck surgeons]

Fifty-five cases of cervical esophageal cancer treated at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Hospital, are reported. The three and five year survival rates were 38.2% and 35%, respectively. There are advantages for head and neck surgeons over thoracic surgeons to deal with such cases. The low recurrence rate (7.3%) of this series was a result of high resection and anastomosis at the level of the hypopharynx and hence the better safety margin of tumor clearance. The lymph node metastasis of the neck and the involvement of other neck organs were no longer contraindications of surgery as observed by thoracic surgeons. However, the head and neck surgeons have difficulties in dissecting the mediastinal lymph nodes and in preparing the abdominal viscera while the stomach or colon is to be used to restore the continuity of the upper alimentary tract. Authors concluded that since the cervical esophageal cancer is a disease in the neck, it is reasonable to be managed mainly by head and neck surgeons and otolaryngologists under the support of thoracic and abdominal surgeons and radiotherapists.