This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Christos Alexiou David Beggs Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Alexiou, C. Articles by Beggs, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Alexiou, C. Articles by Beggs, D. Related Collections Esophagus - cancer

Oesophagectomy for squamous cell carcinoma: lessons from a decade of consecutive resections

Thoracic Surgery Unit, Nottingham City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK

*Corresponding author. Tel/Fax- +44 115 969 1169.

E-mail address: dbeggs{at}ncht.trent.nhs.uk (D. Beggs).

The aim of this study was to analyse the outcome following oesophageal resection for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a large volume unit. Between 1987 and 1997, 166 patients with SCC underwent oesophagectomy. The outcomes and pathological characteristics of this cohort were then analysed. Operative mortality was 6% (10 patients). Anastomotic leak occurred in 11 (6.6%). A history of previous respiratory disease and anastomotic leak were independent predictors of early mortality (P=0.02). Pathological examination demonstrated the presence of stage I disease in 8, stage IIa in 58, stage IIb in 14 and stage III in 87 patients. Kaplan–Meier survival at 1, 3 and 5 years for all patients was 71.6%, 44.6% and 33.5%. Five-year survival was 87.5% for stage I, 47.1% for stage IIa, 27.4% for stage IIb and 14.5% for stage III. On multivariate analysis, pathological stage (P=0.001) and presence of involved lymph nodes were independent adverse predictors of survival (P<0.0001). In conclusion, oesophagectomy for SCC carries an acceptable risk, which is higher for those having a respiratory disease and those developing an anastomotic leak. The good survival observed in early pathological stages and the presence of long-term survivors amongst those with locally advanced disease are encouraging.

Key Words: Oesophagectomy; Squamous cell carcinoma