Three-field lymph node dissection for esophageal cancer in elderly patients over 70 years of age

Background. The risk and benefit of esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection has not been well defined in elderly esophageal cancer patients. Methods. A total of 441 patients underwent three-field lymph node dissection from 1986 to 1998. Patients were divided into two age groups: group 1 consisted of 79 patients aged 70 years or over, and group 2 consisted of 362 patients under 70 years of age. Patients’ characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between groups. Risk factors for morbidity, mortality, and survival of patients in group 1 were further studied by multivariate analysis. Results. Significantly more patients had multiorgan dysfunction preoperatively in group 1 (24; 30.4%) than in group 2 (34; 9.4%, p < 0.001). The overall (65.8% vs 61.6%, p = 0.483) and surgically related complication rates (41.8% vs 52.2%, p = 0.093) were similar, but significantly more organ failure (11.4% vs 5.0%, p = 0.031) and infection (22.8% vs 13.8%, p = 0.045), defined as medical complications, occurred in group 1. There was no significant difference in 30-day (3.8% vs 0.8%, p = 0.074) or in-hospital mortality (7.6% vs 3.3%, p = 0.082) between groups. The overall (40.9% vs 48.1%, p = 0.235) and cause-specific 5-year survivals (55.4% vs 59.1%, p = 0.688) were comparably good in both groups, but the risk of death due to causes other than esophageal cancer was much higher in the elderly (p = 0.028). Multiorgan dysfunction was an independent predictive factor in elderly patients for overall and medical morbidity, overall survival, and risk of death from causes other than esophageal cancer. Conclusions. Esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection could be carried out safely in patients over 70 years of age with satisfactory long-term results. For elderly patients with multiorgan dysfunction, however, less invasive procedures might be more appropriate.