Between January 1, 1981 and December 31, 1989, 222 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus were seen at Fairfax Hospital. Fifty-eight (26.1%) underwent esophagogastrectomy. Operative (30-day) mortality was 8.6%. Follow-up was 98.3% complete. Of hospital survivors, 38 (76%) were resected for potential cure versus 12 (24%) for palliation. Consistent with the experience of others, a minority of patients (26%) presented with early (Stage I & II) disease; forty patients (69%) were noted to be Stage III or IV at time of resection and three patients (5%) were stage indeterminant. The five year Kaplan-Meier product limit survival estimate for Stage II patients was 52%, versus 22% for stage III, and 0% for Stage IV.