Table 2. Patient characteristics.

N=43
Age in years (mean)	59.2 yrs (60.9 yrs)
Sex ratio	30 males/4 females
Histology n (%)
Squamous cell carcinoma	38 (88.4%)
Adenocarcinoma	4 (9.3%)
Poor differenced	1 (2.3%)
Tumour n (%)
Proximal	15 (34.9%)
Middle	19 (44.2%)
Distal	9 (20.9%)
Dysphagia (Atkinson score): n (%)
Grade>2	12 (29.3%)
Performance status ECOG: n (%)
0	17 (39.5%)
1–2	26 (60.5%)
Weight loss n (%)
<15%	31 (72.1%)
>15%	12 (27.9%)
Tumour stage, UICC 1983: n (%)
Stage I	10 (23.2%)
Stage II	19 (44.2%)
Stage III	14 (32.6%)
Serum albumin (mean in g l−1)	39.5 g l−1
Tumour diameter (CT scan, median in mm)	34.5 mm
Endoscopic Ultrasonography (n=12)
T3	9 (75%)
N+	6 (50%)
M1a (celiac node)	1 (8.3%)