title: An analysis of the impact of clinico-pathological features on long-term results following esophagectomy due to squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is one of the neoplasms characterized by an exceptionally latent course, dynamic development and poor prognosis. The stage of the disease at the time of treatment is started the greatest impact on the long term results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate selected clinical-pathological features as prognostic factors for long term survival among patients who have undergone esophagectomies due to squamous cell carcinoma. The features analyzed were age, gender, the stage of the disease and the type of tumor. Long-term survival rates (2, 5 and 10 years) were analyzed in relation to the particular features.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 65 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus who underwent esophagectomies between 1997 and 2008. The statistical analysis was performed with Statistca 8.0 software. Gehan-Wilcoxon, chi and Kaplan-Meier tests were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The research did not find any statistically significant correlation between the patients' gender and survival time (Gehan-Wilcoxon p = 0.83; log-rank p = 0.86). The results showed no statistically significant correlation between the patients' age and survival time (Gehan-Wilcoxon p = 0.75; log-rank p = 0.47). The only statistically significant impact of the stage of the disease on the survival time was a correlation between the longer survival time and the stage I and II of the disease (Chi p = 0.15). The log-rank test revealed that survival time is significantly shorter in cases of involved nodes (Gehan-Wilcoxon p = 0.054; log-rank p = 0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the clinical-pathological features investigated, only metastases in regional lymph nodes had any significant impact on long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery , Wrocław Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sliwa
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szelachowski
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strutyńska-Karpińska
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013909:Thorax / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors