Surgery of oesophageal cancer has a high risk demonstrated by the hospital lethality. 72 resections of the oesophagus done by one surgeon are analysed. The following parameters were used: 1) a nutritional index developed in carcinoma patients in a prospective analysis, 2) the EKG result, 3) the lung-function. Adding these 3 indices we get a certain correlation between the judgement of the preoperative risk and hospital lethality. The preoperative criteria of risk are essential for patients with cancer of the oesophagus since we have to choose among 3 groups of surgical treatment, the risks of which are significantly different.