title: Mortality and morbidity after esophagogastrectomy for cancer of the esophagus and cardia.
abstract: Forty-eight esophagastric resections performed for cancer of the esophagus and cardia resulted in a five-year survival rate of four per cent. An operative mortality rate of 23%, comparable to that reported by others, diminishes the value of esophagogastrectomy even for palliation. Nutritional depletion, commonly found in these patients, contributes significantly to the unacceptably high mortality. A review of the recent literature indicates that the routine use of preoperative hyperalimentation and prophylactic antibiotics can significantly reduce morbidity in these high-risk patients and thereby result in better palliation.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002299:Cardia / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*