Background: The first choice of an esophageal substitute after esophagectomy for cancer is the stomach. However, the colon must be considered for reconstruction in specific situations. The purpose of this study was to clarify the frequency and clinical features of patients who underwent colon interposition in thoracic esophagectomy and to investigate the postoperative complications and survival. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study in the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan. Patients who underwent colon interposition after esophagectomy for cancer between 2010 and 2020 were analyzed. Results: Eighty-eight patients underwent esophagectomy with colon interposition; 53.2% received preoperative treatment and 52.3% underwent thoracoscopic surgery. Clavien-Dindo grade >III postoperative complications occurred in 42% of the patients; anastomotic leakage was the most common complication, occurring in 26.1% of the cases. Univariate analysis of the factors associated with Clavien-Dindo grade III complications.

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According to the 2020 edition of the situation in Japan, the population aged 65 and over reached 35.89 million, accounting for 28.4% of the total population. Esophageal cancer is a common disease among the elderly, and it is expected that the number of encounters with elderly esophageal cancer patients will increase further in the future. We examined the outcomes of esophageal cancer surgery for elderly patients at our hospital. Of 769 thoracic esophageal cancer resections performed at our hospital from 2015–2019, 53 (6.8%) patients aged 80 years or older were included. The mean age was 82 (80–94) years, the male/female ratio was 45/8, tumor localization was Ut/Mt/Lt 5/23/25, and cStage (UICC 7th edition) was I/II/III/IV 12/8/30/3. The surgical technique was 1-stage resection/2-stage segmental resection/mediastinoscopy in 9/32/12 cases. Surgical complications were suture failure, recurrent nerve palsy, and pulmonary complications in 2/12/11 patients. The 3-year survival rate was 66.7%, and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 62.1%. The 3-year survival rate was 66.7% and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 62.1%. Esophageal cancer surgery may be a treatment option for elderly patients who are able to tolerate surgery, even if they are over 80 years of age. Our hospital provides a multidisciplinary team intervention for patients over 70 years of age 3–4 weeks prior to surgery, during the perioperative period, and after discharge, which may be useful in reducing postoperative complications.