Results of extended en bloc esophagectomy in treatment of patients with esophageal cancer

Unlike some other malignancies, such as colon and breast carcinoma, recent progress in the management of esophageal carcinoma has been limited. The overall prognosis for this disease remains dismal, having improved only marginally over recent decades. Because most patients present with advanced stage carcinomas, treatment is usually palliative, and only a minority of patients are cured by surgery. Even when the disease is confined to the esophagus, there is only about a 50% chance of 5-year survival after surgical resection. © 2009 Steinkopff.http://www.springer.com/medicine/surgery/book/978-3-7985-1309-9?cm_mmc=Google-_-Book%20Search-_-Springer-_-