Two different surgical approaches in the treatment of adenocarcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction.
BACKGROUND
Adenocarcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction may be regarded as of esophageal or of gastric origin, and tumor removal may follow the principles of esophagectomy or extended gastrectomy. We determined the impact of this strategy on our patients with tumors at this site.


METHODS
Baseline patient and tumor characteristics were collected, and tumors were categorized according to Siewert's classification (I, II, or III) of gastroesophageal junction tumors. Totally, 133 patients were operated on between 1990 and 2001. Ninety-six patients with type I (n = 67), II (n = 26), and III (n = 3) tumors underwent esophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction, and 37 patients with type I (n = 5), II (n = 26), and III (n = 6) tumors underwent extended gastrectomy and long Roux-en-Y reconstructions.


RESULTS
After adjusting for the independently significant impact factors-tumor stage, tumor dissection (R0-R2), and length of tumor free resection margins-we did not find any specific survival benefit associated with either of the two evaluated surgical approaches for tumor resection and reconstruction. The EORTC quality of life forms revealed good results as indicated by the functional scales and the symptom scales.


CONCLUSIONS
Provided that adequate tumor dissection is performed, patients with adenocarcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction can be resected and reconstructed using the principles for esophagectomy or extended gastrectomy.
Johansson
Jan
J
Department of Surgery, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. jan.johansson@med.lu.se
Djerf
Pauline
P
Oberg
Stefan
S
Zilling
Thomas
T
von Holstein
Christer Staël
CS
Johnsson
Folke
F
Walther
Bruno
B
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome