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Carcinoma of the gallbladder is the most frequent biliary tract lesion but the 5-year survival is less than 5%. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of several clinico-pathological variables on survival in a series of 226 carcinomas of the gallbladder.The results were retrospectively analyzed and prognostic factors were identified by univariate statistical analysis and Cox regression model. All patients underwent surgery and in 67 of these (29.6%), surgery was potentially curative. In 63 patients (27.9%) diagnosis was made when the resected gallbladder was studied for benign disease. Tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage was 0 in 7 patients (3.1%), stage I in 19 patients (8.4%), stage II in 21 patients (9.3%), stage III in 61 patients (27%) and stage IV in 118 patients (52%).Overall 5-year survival was 17.3%. In the univariate analysis, significant variables were the presence of jaundice, weight loss, palpation of abdominal tumors at diagnosis, surgical technique, TNM stage and the three variables of this system (T: size, N: adenopathies; M: distant metastasis). In the multivariate analysis, the three variables of the TNM system and surgical technique were significantly associated with survival.The most important prognostic factor was TNM stage. Currently, radical cholecystectomy in stages II and III has become another important prognostic factor.

We reviewed 50 patients with benign tumors of small intestine treated over a period of 15 years. Mean age was 58 years, and 54% of the patients were female. The most frequent location of the tumors was the jejunum (54%). The commonest histological variety was leiomyoma (56%), followed by fibroma (14%). Average size of tumor was 4.8 cm. With regard to clinical data, 20% of the patients were asymptomatic; in the remaining 80% of the patients, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage and abdominal distension were the most frequent symptoms. The mean symptom-diagnosis interval was 2 months. Barium studies, duodenal endoscopy and selective angiography were the most useful diagnostic tools. However, only in 30% of cases the correct diagnosis was reached preoperatively. All patients underwent surgical treatment. The more frequent surgical technique was segmental resection of small bowel (84%). Operative mortality was 4% and morbidity was 10%. Actuarial 5-year survival for all patients was 96%.

We present a series of 209 patients with cancer of the esophagus over a 13-year period. Average age was 61.99 years and 87.56% of the patients were male. As for histological type, 59.8% of cases were epidermoid carcinomas and the remaining adenocarcinomas. In 76.55% of cases tumor stage was III or IV. Operability rate was 81.8% and resectability 57.89%. The most frequent resective procedure was oesophagogastrectomy through a right thoracotomy and laparotomy. Reconstruction of digestive continuity was achieved in 86.77% with the stomach; 53.72 of resections were judged to be "radical". Overall postoperative morbidity was 45.61%. Respiratory failure and anastomotic leakage accounted for most of morbidity. Anastomotic leakage was more frequent in patients undergoing bypass, with cervical anastomosis, and when the reconstruction was performed with the colon. Mortality rate was 14.04%, but fell to 7.69% in patients undergoing "radical" resection. Overall 5-year survival was 7.83% and 11.81% in patients undergoing resection. The more relevant prognostic factor was tumour stage; 5-years survival of patients with tumor stage I-II was 27.53%, and 0% for patients with tumour stage II or IV.