PROGNOSTIC FACTORS OF OPERABLE SQUAMOUS-C ELL ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMAS

Objective. - The aims of the study were to determine the prognostic fa ctors on overall survival in patients with resectable squamous cell es ophageal carcinoma. Population. - Two hundred and ninety three patient s with stage I and II tumor were included in a phase III clinical tria l that compared surgery alone to preoperative chemoirradiation. Eighte en parameters issued from clinical, biological radiological and pathol ogical characteristics were included in univariate and multivariate an alysis. Results. - The overall survival was influenced by: quality of surgical resection, tumor response, nodal involvement on the CT-scan, tumor length and tumor location. Three groups of patients could be ide ntified on two simple clinical preoperative variables. The first group : patients without dysphagia with or without nodal involvement on the CT-scan. The second group : patients with dysphagia and without nodal involvement on the CT-scan. The third group : patients with dysphagia and with nodal involvement on the CT-scan. The 5 years survival rates were 34 % fdr the first group, 23 % for the second group and 0 % far the third group. Conclusion. - The identification of prognostic factor s is valuable for the stratification of patients in future therapeutic studies.