[Surgical treatment for cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma with tracheal involvement].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical treatment and outcome of cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma with tracheal. METHODS: Ten cases of cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma with tracheal invasion underwent surgical treatment between 2004 and 2011 was reviewed. Operative methods, complications, pathology, and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients were divided into 2 groups, 5 patients with cervical tracheal invasion group and 5 patients with cervicothoracic tracheal invasion. Thoracotomy and anterior mediastinal tracheostomy (AMT) were required for 5 patients with cervicothoracic tracheal invasion. The median follow-up was 23 months (ranging from 6 to 76 months). Of 5 patients with cervical tracheal invasion, 3 patients survived with free of disease for more than 5 years postoperatively, 1 patient died of local recurrence at 14 months postoperatively, and 1 patient died of cardiac infarction at 26 months postoperatively. Among 5 patients with cervicothoracic tracheal invasion, 2 patients died during hospitalization, and 1 patient died of local recurrence at 16 months postoperatively, and 2 patients died of distant metastasis at 6 and 20 months after surgery respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheal invasion is not a contraindication to radical operation for the cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma. Surgical treatment has a good outcome in cervicothoracic esophageal carcinoma with only cervical tracheal invasion. If thoracic trachea is involved, especially when the length of the distal trachea is less than 5 cm, operation should be performed with caution.