Short‐term postoperative complications and prognostic factors in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

BACKGROUND: The study was conducted to investigate the short‐term complications and prognostic factors in patients with esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJA). METHODS: This retrospective study included 110 EGJA patients who underwent surgery from January 2010 to November 2012 at The First Affiliated Hospital of BengBu Medical College. The overall survival and short‐term complications were analyzed according to the patients’ clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications was significantly higher in patients with preoperative cardiopulmonary disease or elderly patients (P < 0.05). Four cases of upper margin cancer residue were detected using the abdominal approach and three using the thoracic approach, which indicated that the cancer residue margin was related to surgical approach. The overall five‐year survival rate was 34.3% and statistically differed according to pathological stage and en block resection (P (all) < 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05) and the extent of tumor invasion (P < 0.05) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with preoperative cardiopulmonary disease had an increased risk of developing postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. Lymph node status and depth of tumor invasion were independent factors related to patient prognosis.