Surgery for elderly patients with cancer of the cardia.

During the past 22 years, the operability rate has been 62.2% for patients 60 years or older, with cancer of the cardia (319/475). The resectability rate has been 66.2% (211/319). Proximal resection of the stomach with resection of the lower third of the esophagus was performed on 156 patients, and gastrectomy on 65. During the last 5 years the operative mortality has decreased from 24.2 to 12.5%. The major causes of death were leakage of anastomosis, pneumonia, acute cardiovascular failures, and myocardial infarction. The 5-year survival rate was 25.2%. The rate of relapse following radical surgery was 14.4% (23 operated patients). The mean duration of life for patients undergoing radical surgery was 26.3 months and those who had had explorative or palliative interventions was 4.5 to 9.3 months.