Prognostic Factors of Salvage Esophagectomy for Residual or Recurrent Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy.

Background: The aim of this study was to confirm prognostic factors for salvage esophagectomy for remnant or recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Study Design: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological backgrounds of 50 patients who underwent salvage esophagectomy between April 2005 and January 2016. Salvage esophagectomy comprised 40 three-incision esophagectomies, two transhiatal esophagectomies and eight pharyngolaryngoesophagectomies. Independent prognostic factors for overall survival were assessed using Cox regression analysis of the factors.

Results: Salvage esophagectomy remains a highly invasive surgery and correlated with a higher incidence of all morbidities of Clavien-Dindo classification (CDc) ≥II, severe morbidities of CDc ≥ IIIb, any pulmonary morbidities and chylorrhea, compared with those in patients without preoperative definitive chemoradiotherapy. Cox regression analysis suggested that R0 resection (hazard ratio [HR] 6.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.03-9.68, P = 0.002), absence of severe complications (HR 4.97; 95% CI 1.70-14.81, P = 0.004) and early pStage (0-II) (HR 3.42; 95% CI 1.24-10.12, P = 0.018) were independent prognostic factors for salvage esophagectomy.

Conclusions: Salvage esophagectomy remains correlated with a high incidence of postoperative complications. Avoiding non-curative surgery and reducing the incidence of severe postoperative complications are important if patients are to receive prognostic benefit of this highly invasive surgery.