Does systematic 2-field lymphadenectomy for esophageal malignancy offer a survival advantage? Results from 178 consecutive patients.

More extensive resection for esophageal cancer has been reported to improve survival in several series. We compared results from an unselected consecutive cohort of patients undergoing radical esophagectomy, including removal of all periesophageal tissue with a 2-field abdominal and mediastinal lymphadenectomy for esophageal and gastroesophageal malignancy. A prospective electronic database was reviewed for patients with esophageal malignancy undergoing an open esophagectomy between 1991 and 2004. Data were analyzed on an SPSS file (version 12.0, Chicago, IL, USA) using chi(2) or Fisher's exact test; odds ratio and 95% confidence interval; and the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox's proportional hazards regression for survival analysis. There were 178 patients with a median age of 65 years and a 70/30 male to female ratio. Median follow-up was 20.4 months. Pathology comprised adenocarcinoma in 64% of patients, squamous cell carcinoma 30%, and other malignancies 6%. Seventeen patients had neoadjuvant therapy. Hospital mortality was 3.3%. Complete resection was achieved in 87%. Local recurrence occurred at a median of 13 months in 6.7% of patients. Overall 5-year survival was 42%. For patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma the 5-year survival was 47% and 40.3%, respectively, and for patients without nodal involvement it was 71.5%, with one to four nodes involved, 23.5% and with >4 nodes, 5% (P < 0.001). Survival decreased with increasing direct tumor spread (P < 0.001) and pathological stage (P < 0.001). Esophageal resection with systematic 2-field lymphadenectomy can be performed with acceptable operative mortality and favorable survival.