Clinicopathologic characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma inyounger patients

Background. The aim of the current study was to find out the clinicopatholo gic characteristics of younger patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Methods. A total of 259 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma wh o had been treated by esophagectomy and reconstruction within 10 years betw een January 1990 and December 1999 were studied. Clinicopathologic characte ristics were compared between 27 patients younger than 50 years and 232 pat ients 50 years and older. Results. A significant difference was observed with regard to the size of t he tumor (6.3 +/- 3.8 cm. in younger patients versus 5.0 +/- 2.4 cm in olde r patients; p = 0.017). The proportion of patients with TNM stage III or IV in younger patients (59.3%, 16 of 27) was significantly higher than that i n older patients (38.3%, 89 of 232; p = 0.020). Nevertheless, no significan t difference in the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates was observed between younger patients (77.2%, 54.7%, and 54.7%, respectively) and older patients (81.9%, 54.2%, and 48.8%, respectively). Conclusions. Although the prognosis of younger patients with esophageal squ amous cell carcinoma did not differ from that of older patients, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in younger patients has more malignant potential a nd aggressive activity. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.