[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of early esophageal carcinoma--analysis of 7 cases].

Misdiagnosis and negligence are common in the diagnosis of early esophageal carcinoma because of the minute lesion, mild symptoms and faulty examination. Analysis of 7 cases showed that the symptoms, cytologic, X-ray and endoscopic examinations are all very important. They can be used to check the findings of one another and none of them should be neglected or over-emphasized. Negative result of one cannot refute the positive findings of the others. Multi-focal tendency of esophageal carcinoma makes pan-esophagectomy advisable. Our experiences show that the diagnosis should be established by two cytological check up and the site of lesion determined with endoscopic examination or collected cytologic specimens at different levels of the esophagus. Supplemental X-ray findings and clinical symptoms can be helpful and careful inspection of the specimen during operation is necessary. Three of these 7 patients survived free of disease for 7,8 and 9 years, respectively. One patient died of fatal diarrhea 4 years after operation. The rest 3 died within 2 years of metastasis.