[Esophageal cancer: epidemiological, clinical, and pathological characteristics at Hospital Rebagliati (Lima)
UNLABELLED Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies of the digestive tract, with high morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE identify the clinical and pathological characteristics of esophageal cancer at Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (EsSALUD) in Lima (Peru) MATERIALS AND METHODS review of hospital charts of patients with histological diagnosis of esophageal cancer from 2001 to 2006. RESULTS 106 patients with diagnosis of primary esophageal neoplasm were recruited. The most affected age group was between 60 and 80 years old, with predominance of men over women in a 3:1 ratio. Smoking was documented in 39% of patients, 10% showed heavy smoking. Use of alcoholic beverages was observed in 37% of patients, 8% were alcoholics. The mean disease duration was three months, ranging from 1 to 24 months. The predominant clinical characteristics were dysphagia (98% weight loss (73% and hyporexia (64% The most frequent location of tumor was the lower third, followed by the middle third, and cancer was mostly proliferating and stenosing. Histologically, the most frequent types were epidermoid carcinoma (82.1% and adenocarcinoma (16% Esophageal resection and gastric pull up were only feasible in 25% of patients; out of these 11% were at stage I, 37% at stage II, 37% at stage III, and 15% at stage IV. CONCLUSION At Hospital Rebagliati, epidermoid carcinoma is the most frequent malignancy of the esophagus, and diagnosis is generally determined at advanced stages of the disease.