Survival of patients with esophageal carcinoma subjected to total thoracicesophagectomy

Background: Esophageal carcinoma has a dismal prognosis. Several authors ha ve reported a very low survival in Chile. Aim: To report the survival of pa tient with esophageal carcinoma, subjected to esophageal resection. Materia l and methods: Analysis of 108 patients subjected to thoracic esophageal re section between 1985 and 1996. Patients were classified according to the lo cation of the tumor and its staging. Results: Eleven patients died in the i mmediate postoperative period and 90 patients were followed. In 53 the exac t cause of death was determined. Global five years survival was 29% and med ian survival was 18 months. Survival was 100% in stage I tumors. Ajuvant th erapy resulted in a better survival of stage III tumors. Survival of stage IV tumors was worst than stage I to III tumors. there was no survival diffe rences between squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Tumors located in the superior third of the esophagus has a worst prognosis. Causes of death were mediastinic metastases, local recidivism, pleural or pulmonary metastases and less frequently, brain, bronchial did not differ from the figures repor ted abroad.