[Survival of patients with esophageal cancer subjected to total thoracic esophagectomy].
BACKGROUND
Esophageal carcinoma has a dismal prognosis. Several authors have reported a very low survival in Chile.


OBJECTIVE
To report the survival of patients with esophageal carcinoma, subjected to esophageal resection.


METHODS
Analysis of 108 patients subjected to thoracic esophageal resection between 1985 and 1996. Patients were classified according to the location of the tumor and its staging.


RESULTS
Eleven patients died in the immediate postoperative period and 90 patients were followed. In 53 the exact cause of death was determined. Global five years survival was 29% and median survival was 18 months. Survival was 100% in stage I tumors. Adjuvant therapy resulted in a better survival of stage III tumors. Survival of stage IV tumors was worst than stage I to III tumors. There was no survival difference between squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Tumors located in the superior third of the esophagus had a worst prognosis. Causes of death were mediastinic metastases, local recidivism, pleural or pulmonary metastases and less frequently, brain, bronchial or bone metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
The survival of these, patients with esophageal carcinoma did not differ from the figures reported abroad.
Braghetto
I
I
Departamento de Cirugía, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. ibraghet@ns.hospital.uchile.cl
Csendes
A
A
Cornejo
A
A
Amat
J
J
Cardemil
G
G
Burdiles
P
P
Korn
O
O
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016019:Survival Analysis