title: [Surgical treatment of esophageal cancer in patients over 70 years of age].
abstract: As the population continues to age, septuagenarian patients with esophageal cancer are frequently referred for surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze with respect to their age the outcome of 386 patients who underwent esophagectomy and simultaneous reconstruction from 1979 to 1994. The portion of patients of 70 years of age and older (14.5%) has slightly increased during the period. Location to the lower third of the esophagus and adenocarcinoma type were prevalent in the 56 elderly patients (Group I), but postsurgical TNM staging was identical to that of the 330 younger patients (Group II). Other clinical features, i.e., preoperative weight loss and presence of co-morbid diseases, however, were comparable in both groups. Pulmonary function, as assessed by spirometry, was significantly worse among the older patients, but blood gas determinations were not different. Operative mortality was comparable among the 2 groups (10.7% vs 11.2%). Major morbidity included anastomotic leak (10.7% vs 13.6%) and pulmonary complications (17.9% vs 20.6%) in both groups. Long term survival was not different in elderly patents (5-year rate: 17%) when compared with that of younger patients (18.9%). These data suggest that 1) esophagectomy can be performed in selected septuagenarian patients with an acceptable risk, and 2) long-term survival with excellent functional status is attainable in this age group in a portion of these patients.
authors: Service de Chirurgie thoracique et des Maladies de l'oesophage, hôpital Sainte-Marguerite, Marseille.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Thomas
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Hardwigsen
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Lienne
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Giudicelli
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Perrier
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Giovannini
authors: J F
authors: JF
authors: Seitz
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Reboud
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Fuentes
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies
vernacular_title: Traitement chirurgical du cancer de l'oesophage chez les malades âgés de 70 ans et plus.