
carcinoma of the esophagus
a survey of fifty-seven patients with cancer
of the esophagus occurring over a twenty year
period is presented.  the presenting complaints
of the disease, methods of diagnosis, and char-
acteristics of the disease are discussed.  three
equal treatment groups consisting of no treat-
ment, x-ray treatment, and surgical resection
were compared and the results were extremely
poor.  only one patient in all three groups sur-
vived longer than two years.  it was our con-
clusion, supported by the opinion of others,
that x-ray therapy gave the best palliation in
most cases and that surgical resection for cure
should be used in only the most suitable pa-
tients.
