Abstract:

Background and purpose: The incidence rate of elderly esophageal carcinoma patients is increasing year by year. In this study, the clinicopathologic factors, operational factors and postoperative complications were compared between the older and the younger elderly patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and the influence of different surgical approaches to older elderly patients were analyzed. Methods: A retrospective review of 371 cases of elderly patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (≥60 years) between Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2008 were performed. The patients were divided into two age groups. The patients over 75 years old named the older elderly group including 53 patients, and the patients between 60-74 years named the younger elderly group including 318 patients, the clinicopathological factors, operational factors, postoperative hospital mortality and average length of stay were compared. Meanwhile, according to different surgical approaches, the comparison of the left chest and right chest approach of operative time, blood loss and postoperative complication rate, and so on and so forth. Results: The older elderly group compared with the younger elderly group had more preoperative complications. Preoperative ASA classification and postoperative complications, length of stay and hospital mortality rates were significantly higher. The older elderly group over the right chest approach had less postoperative complications, especially pulmonary complications, the results were statistically significant.(13.0% vs 40.0%，P<0.05) Conclusion: The patients over 75 years old with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma have a higher risk during the operation, we can choose relatively simpler operation approach to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, especially pulmonary complications.

Key words: Elderly, Esophageal cancer, Surgery, Postoperative complication