Three-Field Lymph Node Dissection for Squamous Cell and Adenocarcinoma of

To determine the prevalence of occult cervical nodal metasta-ses in patients with squamous cell cancer and adenocarci-noma of the esophagus, and to determine the impact of esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection on survival and recurrence rates. Summary Background Data Although esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissec-tion is commonly practiced in Japan, its role in the surgical management of esophageal cancer in the United States, es-pecially in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, is es-sentially unknown. Methods This is a prospective observational study of esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy. Eighty patients underwent resection between August 1994 and April 2001. Clinicopatho