BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of @entity5 of the @entity418 is controversial and results are often disappointing. Concern exists not only with regards to the surgical approach but also to the extent of the resection. The authors analyze their experience over a 20-year period adopting almost exclusively a "limited" esophagogastrectomy with a wide regional lymphadenectomy through a left thoracotomy. The aim of the study is to determine if this approach actually plays a role in the treatment of this @entity5 . METHODS: 148 @entity1 were evaluated for @entity5 . Of these 22 (14.8%) were not resectable and 6 (4%) received other types of resections for technical reasons. 120 @entity1 are the basis of the present analysis. More than 75% of @entity1 were in stage III or IV. Follow-up was completed in 92.5% of cases; all surviving @entity1 had at least 5 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Four (3.3%) @entity1 died in the postoperative period. In 6 cases (5%) an @entity834 occurred and this caused the death of 2 @entity1 . Nine (7.5%) @entity1 had severe @entity358 . @entity1282 was relieved in all non complicated @entity1 . 13 (10.8%) @entity1 had anastomotic recurrence. Overall survival rate after 5 years was 25.62 +/- 6.1%. A significant difference in survival was noted in @entity1 at stages II and III after 5 years (61.3% vs 18.6, p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This operation has proved to be a good option providing satisfying long-term results and a lower incidence of complications if compared with more extended procedures. It can be performed in the majority of @entity1 with @entity189 with a low mortality and morbidity and with excellent palliation of @entity1282 . In our opinion it remains an optimum treatment for @entity5 .

Left thoracic approach for XXXX of @entity418 : early and late results.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity834 :: ('MESH:D057868', 'Disease') :: ['anastomotic leakage'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'cancer', 'cardial cancer'] @entity189 :: ('MESH:D002277', 'Disease') :: ['carcinoma of the cardia'] @entity358 :: ('MESH:D008171', 'Disease') :: ['pulmonary complications'] @entity418 :: ('MESH:D004938', 'Disease') :: ['cardia'] @entity1282 :: ('MESH:D003680', 'Disease') :: ['Dysphagia', 'dysphagia']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['cancer']
