Palliation of patients with carcinoma of the lower esophagus and cardia: the question of quality of life.

The choice of palliative therapy in patients with carcinoma of the lower esophagus and cardia is mainly between irradiation and surgery. The present report is a retrospective analysis of 40 consecutive patients who recovered after resection of the tumor. The operation was considered to be palliative in all patients. The ability to swallow in proportion to the duration of the remaining life is used as a parameter for the quality of life. After esophago-gastrostomy, the average survival amounts to 24 months, permitting the patient to enjoy an almost normal diet. In spite of the palliative intention of the treatment, one-third of the patients exceed 3-year survival.