Pattern of recurrence after esophageal resection for cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Surgery is still the main treatment option for esophageal cancer; however, long-term survival has remained poor, even when a curative operation is performed. The present study was undertaken to analyze the pattern and time of recurrence after a curative esophagectomy.


METHODS
We studied 53 patients who underwent curative esophageal resection for cancer between 1985 and 1994. We examined number and pattern of recurrences, time after surgery, and any factor with contribution to carcinoma recurrence.


RESULTS
During the follow-up period, 34 patients had tumor recurrence. The disease-free interval was 12.7 months (SD = 9.8). Twenty patients (58.9%) developed extrathoracic tumor recurrence and 23 patients (67.6%) intrathoracic. In 3 cases an esophageal stump recurrence was presented. Thirteen patients were considered for palliative treatment after recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 13%, with median survival time between recurrence and death, 4.1 months. The recurrence of disease was always before 40 months after surgery. Any significant difference related with recurrence was observed between the analyzed factors.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of recurrences are developed before 2 years. Neoplastic recurrence is most common at the mediastinum. Palliative treatments after recurrence do not modify the progression of tumor.
Sanz
L
L
Department of Surgery B, Hospital Central, University of Oviedo, Spain.
Gonzalez
J J
JJ
Miyar
A
A
Navarrete
F
F
Martinez
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010166:Palliative Care; D015996:Survival Rate