title: Surgery for high cervical esophageal carcinoma: experience with 11 patients.
abstract: The treatment of carcinoma of the cervical esophagus remains controversial. Eleven patients with carcinoma of the high cervical esophagus were encountered over the past 7 years at our institution. There were 6 men and 5 women whose ages ranged from 51 to 72 years. Six patients had tracheal or laryngeal invasion. In all instances one-stage pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy with pharyngogastric (6 patients) or pharyngocolic (5 patients) reconstruction was performed. There was one hospital death. Six patients died 6 to 35 months postoperatively: 1 from recurrence, 2 from generalized metastases, and 3 with both local recurrent and metastatic disease. One other patient died free of disease 6 weeks postoperatively of pneumonia. The remaining 3 patients are alive 12 to 84 months after operation with excellent rehabilitation and good quality of life. We conclude that one-stage surgical resection and reconstruction for high cervical carcinoma of the esophagus offers good palliation and possible long-term survival with acceptable operative risk.
authors.affiliation: Joseph B. Whitehead Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Picone
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery; D014139:Tracheostomy