En bloc esophagectomy: the first 100 patients.

Between 1969 and 1984, 251 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus were evaluated. One hundred and eleven patients underwent en bloc esophagectomy. The technique of operation is described. Hospital mortality was 11% (12/111). Complications occurred in 49 patients. There have been no recurrences of cancer more than 3 years after operation. Absolute survival at 5 years is 55%, 29%, 15%, and 8% for W1N0, W1N1, W2N0, and W1/W2N2, respectively. En-bloc resection could be accomplished for esophageal carcinoma with an acceptable mortality and morbidity. The operation is potentially curative in a small subset of patients with unfavorable prognostic factors.