title: [Malignant tumors of the esophagus in the Czech Republic].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data analysis of the incidence, mortality and basic data regarding therapy of esophageal cancer in the Czech Republic and determining possible ways to improve the current situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis was performed using data obtained from the Czech National Cancer Registry and from the Registry of Thoracic Procedures from the Section of Thoracic Surgery of the Czech Surgical Society. Analysis of specialized literature provided generally accepted risk factors for the development of esophageal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Esophageal cancer represents 0.7% of all solid malignant tumours in the Czech Republic (1.1% in males and 0.2% in females). During 1977 to 2008, the incidence increased from 2 to 5.4 cases per 100.000 inhabitants and mortality from 1.9 to 4.1 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. In absolute numbers, the incidence was 561 cases (5.4 per 100.000 inhabitants) in 2008. Absolute mortality rate was 452 deaths (4.3 per 100.000 inhabitants) and absolute prevalence (number of patients living with cancer or with its medical history) was 791 subjects(7.6 per 100.000 inhabitants). When compared to international data, the incidence in the Czech Republic is the 84th highest in the world and 17th highest in Europe (mortality rates are at the 85th place in the world and the 18th place in Europe). In the Czech Republic, the highest incidence is in the Moravian-Silesian and Zlin regions (6.1 per 100.000), the lowest in the Plzen (4.2) and Vysocina (4.1) regions. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 62 years in males and 68 years in females, the maximum incidence is between 55 and 69 years in males and between 58 and 79 years in females. Upon diagnosis, advanced stages of the disease predominate. In 2008, 28% of the detected esophageal cancer cases were stage I and II disorders, 60 % were stage III and IV disorders, and in 12% of the cases the stage was not determined. In the treated patient group, the five-year survival rate was 15.5% in total, based on an analysis of data from 2004 - 2007. The five-year survival was 30% in stage I and II diosease cases, 12% in stage III disorders and 2% in stage IV cases. When comparing the analysis of data from 2004 to 2007 with the analysis of data from 2000 to 2003, there is a 10% improvement in stages I and II and a 4% improvement in stage III disorders. According to the Thoracic Surgery Registry of Thoracic Procedures data covering the period 2007 to 2010, thoracic procedures are performed at 19 to 22 surgical departments, esophageal resections are performed at 13 to 14 surgical departments, but only in 8 to 9 of these departments is the frequency of such procedures more than 10 operations per year. At the authors' department, 53 esophageal resections have been performed in the past five years with a 3.8% postoperative mortality rate and a 23 % total postoperative morbidity rate. Forty-nine percent of the cases were adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on its incidence in our population, esophageal cancer can be considered an unfrequent tumour. This analysis shows regions of the Czech Republic with higher incidence and the most at-risk age group in males. Significant risk factors for squamous cell cancer such as smoking and alcohol consumption have already been previously identified; in adenocarcinoma it is primarily Barrett's esophagus. Other risk groups include patients with achalasia and with strictures after corrosion injury to the esophagus. Acceptable treatment results may only be achieved in patients with less severe stages of the disease and it would therefore be appropriate to actively search for such patients in at-risk regions and among the risk groups as part of the preventive programs. To date, universally accepted guidelines for monitoring of such patients have not been defined. Surgical treatment is a highly specialized domain of thoracic surgeons focused on esophageal surgery and patients should be concentrated in specialized centres.
authors.affiliation: II. chirurgická klinika FN a LF UP Olomouc. miloslavduda@klikni.cz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adamcík
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dusek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skrovina
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jínek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate