[Multidisciplinary treatment principles for improved QOL in patients with esophageal cancer]

We recently performed multidisciplinary treatment for improved QOL in patients with esophageal cancer according the following principles: 1. The expected preoperative diagnosis of staging for esophageal cancer is performed by preoperative examinations, and the plan for perioperative combined therapy is established. 2. For intraepithelial cancer (ep) and lamina propria mucosal cancer (mm), small stress treatment is the choice. For submucosal cancer (sm), esophagectomy with right thoracotomy and lymph node dissection are performed as a rule, but where negative lymph node metastasis is inferred by preoperative examination, esophagectomy without thoracotomy (blunt dissection) and postoperative adjuvant therapy are performed. 3. For advanced esophageal cancer, adjuvant therapy is performed as far as possible in consideration of depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and general condition. 4. For far advanced esophageal cancer, esophageal prosthesis intubation is the first choice, and adjuvant therapy is performed in patients with a relatively fair general condition.