OBJECTIVETo explore the management strategies and outcome of treatment for multi-focal esophageal carcinoma.

METHODSTwenty two patients with multi-focal esophageal carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy by a single surgeon team from March 2000 to March 2011 at the Beijing Cancer Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical and pathological characters were analyzed, and the outcome was compared with that of 471 patients with single esophageal carcinoma who received esophagectomy by the same surgeon team during the same period.

RESULTSEighteen out of 22 patients with multi-focal esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy via transthoracic approach while 4 patients via transhiatal. Eight patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 15 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Four hundred and seventy-one out of 471 patients with single esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy via transthoracic approach while 60 patients via transhiatal. One hundred and fourty-eight patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 267 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The 3-year survival of the 22 patients with multi-focal esophageal carcinoma was 41.9%, and the median survival time was 29.2 months. The 3-year survival of the 471 patients with single esophageal carcinoma was 54.7%, and the median survival time was 46.8 months. There was no significant difference in survival between the two groups(P=0.051).

CONCLUSIONSThe prognosis of patients with multi-focal occurrence esophageal carcinoma was poor. Extended esophageal resection may be beneficial to these patients with concurrent systemic chemotherapy.