Objectives: A treatment strategy for patients with esophageal carcinoma invading adjacent structures found during esophagectomy (surgical T4; sT4) has not been established and the role of esophagectomy remains controversial. The aims of this study were to assess the clinicopathological characteristics and to clarify the prognostic factors of patients who underwent esophagectomy for sT4 tumors.
Methods: A consecutive series of 76 patients who were found to have sT4 tumors was reviewed retrospectively. T4 tumors were divided into two groups according to the invaded structures. Cox's multivariate proportional hazard model was used to identify prognostic factors.
Results: Complete tumor clearance with combined resection was performed in 12 patients (16%). Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 40.8%, 9.2%, and 7.9%, respectively. There was no significant relationship between survival and invaded structure type or residual tumor status. Postoperative therapy was selected as an independent prognostic factor.
Conclusions: The complete resection rate was low and the prognosis of patients with sT4 tumors was poor. Subclassification according to the invaded structures was not a prognostic factor in this study. Postoperative therapy may improve survival in sT4 patients and should be considered irrespective of residual tumor status after esophagectomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012;105:767-772. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.