Medical experts make advances in treating esophagus cancer

Shanghai medical experts have made a breakthrough in defining for the first time the scope of lymph node dissection for surgery on patients with esophagus cancer.

China has a high incidence of the cancer, with about 50 percent of the world's total cases, and surgery is a major means of treatment.

Clinical data shows that over half of patients with esophagus cancer have suffered from lymphatic metastasis, so doctors usually do a lymph dissection around the esophagus during surgery to prevent and reduce relapse.

"But how large is the most suitable scope for dissection is a long-discussed topic in the medical field," said Shanghai Cancer Center's Dr Chen Haiquan, who led research to compare the effects of different levels of dissection on patients' survival.

Chen's team researched 400 patients to define the proper scope and position for dissection. The research was published by the Journal of Thoracic Oncology and has been recognized by international medical experts.

Dr Nasser Altorki, director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, said: "Regardless of any potential limitations of the trial, it is an impressive undertaking and will likely be the last and most definitive statement on this topic."

Ti Gong