The impact of operative approaches on outcomes of middle and lower third esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

It is estimated that 455,800 new esophageal cancer cases and 400,200 deaths occurred in 2012 worldwide (1). According to the annual report of National Cancer Center of China, 291,238 new esophageal cancer cases and 218,957 deaths occurred in China during 2011 (2). Therefore, esophageal cancer is a detrimental disease to worldwide, especially to China