[Esophagectomy and pharyngectomy in cancers of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts and the esophagus. Results apropos of 16 cases].

A series of 16 squamous cell carcinomas of the pharynx with an extension to the cervical esophagus, or multiple primaries of the pharynx and esophagus is presented. The surgical procedure consisted of an oesophagectomy associated with either total pharyngolaryngectomy, or partial pharyngectomy, or transmandibular resection. 13 patients received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy: CDDP-5-FU. Postoperative complications occurred in less than 20% without any postoperative death. One-year and five-year actuarial survival rates were respectively 20% and 13.3%. The mean survival was 9.5 +/- 3.7 months. 75% of the deaths were due to local or cervical lymph node recurrences. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy could improve the prognosis of these pharyngo-oesophageal carcinomas.