[Extensive, combined and extensive-combined operations in cancer of the cardial portion of the stomach].

The authors present an analysis of the materials obtained in the clinic during a 21-year period. Among 438 patients subjected to radical surgery for cancer of the gastric cardia in 319 cases extensive, combined and extensive-combined surgical procedures were accomplished, their characteristics being described. The regular feature of cancer of this localization is its lymphogenic spread, and this fact together with esophageal involvement allows a consideration that for cancer of the cardia, in any stage but 1, all resections, as a rule, should be extensive, combined or both. The success of the immediate results of the operation depends on adequacy of an approach, kind of operation and extent of resection combinations in relation to the characteristic of cancer spread according to TNM system and the degree of surgical risk for each individual case. Estimation of the immediate and late results should take into account the motivation for performing extensive, combined and extensive-combined procedures. In cancer of the gastric cardia the analysed surgical procedures are to be referred to a group of conventionally radical interventions.