Esophagectomy for cancer of the esophagus. A regional cancer centre experience.

Surgery is an important component of treatment for patients with resectable cancer of the mid and lower third of the esophagus. There are many controversies associated with esophagectomy. We share our experience with esophagectomy for cancer of the mid and lower third of the esophagus. Between January 2007 and December 2011, 210 patients with cancer of the esophagus underwent surgery. The patients' pre and intra- operative factors, morbidities and mortality were noted and studied. Transhiatal esophagectomy was done in 175 patients and right transthoracic esophagectomy was done in 35 patients. The most common location of the tumor was lower third and most common histopathology was squamous cell carcinoma. There were 5 in-hospital deaths (2.4 %) and the common morbidities encountered were respiratory (30 %), anastomotic leak (5 %) and anastomotic stricture (15 %). The morbidity was higher in the transthoracic group. Our R0 resection rate was 89 %. Esophagectomy can be accomplished with acceptable morbidity in the management of patients with oesophageal cancer. We attribute the favourable results to the high volume at our centre, surgical expertise, good patient selection and performance of the anastomosis in the neck.