Background Multimodal therapy with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, followed by esophagectomy has offered better survival results, compared to isolated esophagectomy, in advanced esophageal cancer. In addition, patients who have a complete pathological response to neoadjuvant treatment presented greater overall survival and longer disease-free survival compared to those with incomplete response. Aim: To compare the results of overall survival and disease-free survival among patients with complete and incomplete response, submitted to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, with two therapeutic regimens, followed by transhiatal esophagectomy. Methods: Retrospective study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee, analyzing the medical records of 56 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, divided into two groups, submitted to radiotherapy (5040 cGY) and chemotherapy (5-Fluorouracil + Cisplatin versus Paclitaxel + Carboplatin) neoadjuvants and subsequently to surgical treatment, in the period from 2005 to 2012, patients. Results The groups did not differ significantly in terms of gender, race, age, postoperative complications, disease-free survival and overall survival. The 5-year survival rate of patients with incomplete and complete response was 18.92% and 42.10%, respectively (p> 0.05). However, patients who received Paclitaxel + Carboplatin, had better complete pathological responses to neoadjuvant, compared to 5-Fluorouracil + Cisplatin (47.37% versus 21.62% - p = 0.0473, p <0.05). Conclusions There was no statistical difference in overall survival and disease-free survival for patients who had a complete pathological response to neoadjuvant. Patients submitted to the therapeutic regimen with Paclitaxel and Carboplastin, showed a significant difference with better complete pathological response and disease progression. New parameters are indicated to clarify the real value in survival, from the complete pathological response to neoadjuvant, in esophageal cancer.

Caustic ingestion remains a complex public health issue worldwide, in adults and children. Caustic agent (acids and alkalis) is a product that causes tissue damage, and its ingestion will damage the mouth, pharynx, hypopharynx, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and may reach the jejunum. Concomitant gastric and intestinal injuries can occur in 20 to 60% (1-3) Acid products, most of the times, cause coagulative necrosis of the mucosa, while alkalis cause a liquefaction/saponification effect on the mucosa, reaching the entire wall of the organ. The most accessible acids are hydrochloric, sulfuric and oxalic acid, widely used in civil construction and factories. Products that contain alkali are those used in household cleaning, containing sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda. Therefore, caustic stenosis of the esophagus depends on the product ingested, the amount that was ingested and its concentration (1, 4-6).Ingestion of these products damages the esophagus, in different extensions, and the final consequence is progression to stenosis and fibrosis of the organ. The most common symptom is dysphagia, and the intensity of dysphagia depends on the degree of stenosis. Odynophagia is also present. The nutritional status injury is evident, due to significant weight loss (1,2,4,7).Developing countries have a higher incidence of this kind of accident. In children under 10 years of age, ingestion is most often accidental, however, in adolescents and adults, the etiology of ingestion is due to attempted suicide. In the United States, despite the decline in caustic intake in children (5,000 to 15,000 per year), the incidence is 15.8 cases per 100,000 peoples (8).

- BACKGROUND: Esophagogastroduodenoscopies and colonoscopies are the main diagnostic examinations for esophageal, stomach, and colorectal tumors. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the estimates of the incidence of esophageal, stomach, and colorectal cancer; population growth; and esophagogastroduodenoscopies and colonoscopies performed by the Unified Health System (SUS), from 2010 to 2018, in the five regions of the country, and to analyze the relationship between these values. RESULTS: The colorectal tumor had a significant elevation, while the esophageal and gastric maintained the incidences. In the five regions, there was a significant increase in the number of colonoscopies; however, this increase did not follow the increase in the population in the North and Northeast regions. There was no significant increase in the number of esophagogastroduodenoscopies in the North, Northeast, Midwest, and South regions, and in the North region there was a decrease. In the Northeast region, there was a decreasing number, and in the South and Midwest regions, the number of examinations remained stable in the period. The Southeast region recorded an increase in the number of examinations following the population growth. CONCLUSION: The current number of esophagogastroduodenoscopies and colonoscopies performed by the SUS did not follow the population growth, in order to attend the population and diagnose esophageal, stomach, and colorectal tumors. Therefore, the country needs to have adequate and strategic planning on how it will meet the demand for these tests and serve the population well, incorporating new technologies.

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the surgical treatment of patients with recurrent megaesophagus followed at the esophageal-stomach-duodenal outpatient clinic of the Hospital de Clínicas - UNICAMP. Methods: a retrospective study, from 2011 to 2017, with 26 patients with Chagas or idiopathic megaesophagus, surgically treated, and who recurred with dysphagia. Clinical, endoscopic and radiographic aspects were assessed and correlated with the performed surgical procedures. Results: 50% had dysphagia for liquids, 69% regurgitation, 65.3% heartburn, 69.2% weight loss and 69.2% had Chagas disease. In addition, 38.4% had megaesophagus stage 1 and 2 and 61.5% stage 3 and 4. Regarding the reoperations, 53% of them underwent Heller-Pinotti surgery by laparoscopy, Serra-Dória in 30.7% and esophageal mucosectomy in 7.9%. In 72% of the reoperations there were no postoperative complications, and 80% of the patients had a good outcome, with reduction or elimination of dysphagia. Among the reoperated patients undergoing the laparoscopic Heller-Pinotti technique, three reported little improvement of dysphagia in the postoperative period and among those who underwent Serra-Dória surgery, 100% had no dysphagia. It was observed that, when the time between the first procedure and the reoperation was longer, the better the surgical result was, with statistical significant decreased dysphagia (p=0.0013, p<0.05). Conclusions: there was a preference to perform laparoscopic re-miotomy and, as a second option, Serra-Dória surgery, for patients with recurrent megaesophagus. Esophagectomy or esophageal mucosectomy were reserved for more severe patients.

BACKGROUND: Caustic ingestion is still a health problem of utmost importance in the West. In developing countries, this incident remains at increase and it is associated with unfavorable factors like social, economic, and educational handicaps, besides a lack of prevention. Esophagocele is a rare consequence of caustic ingestion. AIM: We aimed to describe a patient with multiple caustic ingestions who presented an esophagocele resected by videothoracoscopy. METHODS: A woman ingested caustic soda when she was only 17 years old in a suicidal attempt during a depressive crisis. Initially, she was submitted to a retrosternal esophagocoloplasty with the maintenance of her damaged esophagus. After 1 year of this first surgery, she ingested caustic soda again in a new suicidal attempt. Her transposed large bowel in the first surgery became narrow, being replaced in a second surgery by a retrosternal esophagogastroplasty. Still, at the second surgery, her damaged esophagus remained in its original position in the posterior mediastinum. However, after 5 years, she developed an esophagocele. RESULTS: The esophagocele was resected through videothoracoscopy in a prone position, employing four trocars. The postoperative was uneventful. CONCLUSION: Esophageal exclusion must always be recorded because esophagocele presents unspecific symptoms. The videothoracoscopy in a prone position is an excellent technical option to resect esophagoceles.