title: Surgical treatment of thoracic esophageal carcinoma: report of 326 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review our experience in surgical treatment of 326 cases of thoracic esophageal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 326 patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma from January 1990 to January 2001 were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 326 patients, the lesions of 32 patients were identified in the upper thoracic segment of the esophagus, and were found in the middle segment in 213 cases with the left 81 cases having lesions in the lower segment. Left cervical esophagogastrostomy was performed through triple incision (left cervical, right thoracic and abdominal) in 79 cases. Esophagocolostomy through triple incision was performed in 5 cases. Another 156 patients received left cervical esophagogastrostomy through two incisions (left cervical and left thoracic). Supra-aorticarch esophagogastrostomy through left posterola- teral thoracotomy was performed in 53 cases, and sub-arch esophagogastrostomy through left posterolateral thoracotomy in 33 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The post-operative mortality was 1.23% (4/326), with a five-year survival rate of 35.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subtotal esophagectomy combined with thorough lymph node dissection can be the first choice for thoracic esophageal carcinoma to improve the postoperative survival rate and the quality-of life-of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, 157 Hospital of PLA, Guangzhou 510510, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhen-Mu
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiang
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bing-Zhong
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhi-Ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yan-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies