Postcricoid Carcinoma: Results after Visceral Transposition and Pattern of Recurrence in 27 Patients

Abstract

Twenty-seven patients with postcricoid carcinoma treated by resection and visceral transposition of the stomach (24), colon (2) or jejunum (1) were studied at Kuwait Cancer Control Centre. Their age and sex distribution, TNM classification, postoperative complications and recurrence rate during the 4- to 8-year follow-up period was analysed. Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy was given to 22 patients, while 1 patient had pre-operative radiotherapy. The overall 5-year survival rate was 26%. This rate was higher in patients in which the cervical lymph nodes were not involved (44%), compared to those in which they were (17%). The reconstructive procedure using gastric transposition was well tolerated with low operative mortality and low morbidity, provided that proper mediastinal drainage and preservation of the parathyroid glands was achieved. Greater attention to local nodal dissection and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy may lower the recurrence rate.