ABSTRACT
Background: The long-term survival of adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction is poor and depends on the possibility of performing a complete surgical excision and the absence of lymph node involvement. Aim: To report surgical results and survival of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction. Material and Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction, subjected to a curative surgical procedure between 2000 and 2008. Deaths that occurred within 60 days of the operation were considered operative mortality. Tumor stage was determined using TNM and Siewert pathological classifications. Results: Thirty-nine patients aged 40 to 80years (27 men), were operated. According to Siewert classification, seven patients had type I, six type II and 26 type III tumors. Twenty-two patients were subjected to a total gastrectomy with partial excision of distal esophagus and mediastinal reconstruction, 10patients were subjected to a trans-hiatal esophagectomy and seven to a total esophagogastrectomy. According to postoperative staging, five patients were in stage I, 12 in stage II, nine in stage III and 13 in stage IV. Median, three and five year's survival figures were 21.4 months, 33 and 25 percent, respectively. Lymph node and perineural involvement was associated with a lower survival. Well differentiated and stage I tumors had a better survival. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of a type III tumor, N3 lymph node involvement and vascular permeation were independent predictors' ofa lower survival. Conclusions: Among patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction, type III tumors, lymph node involvement and vascular permeations are associated with a lower survival.