Salvage esophagectomy for initially unresectable locally advanced T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Endobronchial Ultrasonography to Assess and Evaluate Tracheobronchial Tree Invasion in cT4b Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated with Definitive Chemoradiotherapy: Assessment of Resectability

BACKGROUND

In cT4b esophageal cancer, accurate assessment of tracheobronchial tree invasion after definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) aids in the selection of patients for whom an oncologic radical esophagectomy can be achieved. The current report aimed to determine the accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound in assessing tumor invasion in the tracheobronchial tree after dCRT in patients with cT4b esophageal cancer.

METHODS

Esophageal cancer patients with suspicion of tracheobronchial tree invasion on the diagnostic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) who underwent a staging endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) were eligible for inclusion in this study. To assess the accuracy of the EBUS in assessing tumor ingrowth in the tracheobronchial tree after dCRT, patients who had an EBUS during restaging and underwent surgery were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 26 patients. For 18 (90%) of 20 patients in whom the anatomy of the tracheobronchial tree was restored on the restaging EBUS and tumor invasion was considered to be absent, a radical esophagectomy was achieved. In six patients, persistent ingrowth was observed during the restaging EBUS. For these patients, the EBUS was repeated after a median of 9 weeks. Tumor invasion was considered to be absent in four patients, and a radical resection was achieved in three of these patients.

CONCLUSION

The EBUS provides valuable information on the assessment of tracheobronchial tree invasion in cT4b esophageal cancer patients after dCRT. This information could aid in the proper selection of patients who benefit from a curative but highly invasive esophagectomy.

Comparison of immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy alone in conversion therapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

The clinical value of preoperative immunochemotherapy and simple chemotherapy induction regimen in the conversion therapy of locally advanced unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is still unclear.

Method

Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with unresectable cT4b stage ESCC who underwent conversion surgery in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. According to the preoperative induction treatment plan, they were divided into induction immunochemotherapy group (iICT group) and induction chemotherapy group (iCT group). The conversion surgery rate, R0 resection rate, radiological and pathological tumor responses, safety, and short-term survival outcomes were analyzed.

Results

The results showed that a total of 199 patients with cT4b locally advanced unresectable ESCC who underwent preoperative induction therapy were included in this study. Among them, there were 64 cases (32.2%) in the iICT group, 135 cases (67.8%) in the iCT group. There was a statistically significant difference in objective response rate (73.5% vs 48.9%) and conversion surgery rate (81.3% vs 66.7%), between the iICT and iCT groups (P=0.001 and P=0.019). Among the two groups of patients who underwent surgery, there were statistically significant differences in R0 resection rate (94.2% vs 82.2%) and pathological complete remission rate (23.1% vs 6.7%) between the iICT and iCT groups (P=0.043 and P=0.004). And there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of grade 3 and above between two groups (P=0.928). The 2-year EFS of the iICT group and iCT group were 76.4% and 42.4%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P=0.006).

Conclusions

Compared with simple chemotherapy, the combination of PD-1 inhibitors and chemotherapy can achieve better conversion surgery rate, tumor response and event-free survival in the conversion therapy of locally advanced unresectable ESCC.

Thoracoscopic salvage esophagectomy with prophylactic mediastinal lymph node dissection after definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND

Salvage esophagectomy for residual tumor and localized relapses after definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) for patients with esophageal cancer is associated with a high rate of postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality. In addition, there are many controversial issues associated with salvage esophagectomy, such as the acceptability of minimally invasive surgery and the need for prophylactic dissection of mediastinal lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and usefulness of thoracoscopic salvage esophagectomy with prophylactic mediastinal lymph node dissection.

METHODS

The study included 31 patients who underwent thoracoscopic salvage esophagectomy with prophylactic mediastinal lymph node dissection after dCRT between 2013 and 2022 (salvage patients) and 610 nonsalvage patients who underwent conventional thoracoscopic esophagectomy during the same time period.

RESULTS

Differences between the median ages and sexes of the 2 patient groups were not significant. The dominant location of tumors in the salvage patients was the upper thoracic esophagus. More salvage patients had clinical T4 disease. The salvage patients had a lower median number of retrieved mediastinal lymph nodes than the nonsalvage patients. The differences between the rates of R0, postoperative complications, and in-hospital deaths in the 2 patient groups were not significant. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates for the salvage patients were 73%, with 3-year OS rates for R0 vs non-R0 of 81% vs 0%, p < 0.01 and pN0 vs pN1-3 of 89% vs 49%, p < 0.01.

CONCLUSION

Regarding short-term outcomes, prophylactic mediastinal lymph node dissection for patients undergoing thoracoscopic salvage esophagectomy was as safe as prophylactic dissection for patients undergoing conventional thoracoscopic esophagectomy. R0 surgery and pN0 are important factors for long-term survival in patients undergoing thoracoscopic salvage esophagectomy.

Treatment patterns and survival in T4b esophageal cancer: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of various treatment approaches in stage T4b esophageal cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results databases, covering patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer between 2000 and 2020. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) across different treatment patterns.

RESULTS

The study included 482 patients: 222 (46.1%) received chemoradiotherapy, 58 (12.0%) underwent radiotherapy alone, 37 (7.7%) received chemotherapy alone, 50 (10.4%) underwent surgery, and 115 (23.8%) received no treatment. Median CSS were 12, 4, 6, 18, and 1 month for chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, chemotherapy alone, surgery, and non-treatment groups. Median OS for these groups were 11, 3, 6, 17, and 1 month, respectively. Multivariable proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that patients who underwent surgery experienced significantly improved CSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.24-0.72; P = 0.002) and OS (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.28-0.74; P = 0.002) compared to those receiving chemoradiotherapy after propensity score matching.

CONCLUSIONS

Esophagectomy, with or without radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, results in better survival outcomes than chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage T4b esophageal cancer.

Treatment Outcomes and Risk Factors for Incomplete Treatment after Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Non-Resectable or Metastatic Esophageal Cancer

Among patients with unresectable or metastatic esophageal cancer who receive definitive chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, the rates of treatment-related adverse events and incomplete treatment remain high. We conducted this study to investigate survival after definitive treatments and identify predicting factors for incomplete treatment. The data of patients who received definitive chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer were retrospectively examined. The patients were assigned to Group 1: incomplete definitive treatment; Group 2: complete definitive treatment; or Group 3: complete definitive treatment with additional salvage surgery. The data of 273 patients (90, 166, and 17 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) were analyzed. In the survival analysis, the median overall survival of Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 2.6, 10.3, and 29.5 months, respectively. A significant difference in 3-year overall survival was observed among the groups (2.2%, 12.4%, and 48.5%, p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, the independent risk factors for incomplete definitive treatment included poor performance score (hazard ratio (HR): 5.23, p = 0.001), bone metastasis (HR: 2.18, p = 0.024), airway invasion (HR: 2.90, p = 0.001), and liver cirrhosis (HR: 3.20, p = 0.026). Incomplete definitive treatment is associated with a far worse prognosis. Poor performance, bone metastasis, airway invasion, and liver cirrhosis are risk factors for incomplete treatment.

Essential updates 2020/2021: Recent topics in surgery and perioperative therapy for esophageal cancer

In this review, we focused on four topics, namely, minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE), conversion and salvage surgery, and neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy, based on notable reports published in the years 2020 and 2021. It seems that while the short-term outcomes of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (MIE-IL) were better than those of open Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (OE-IL), there were no significant differences in the long-term outcomes between MIE-IL and OE-IL. Similarly, the short-term outcomes of minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIE-MK) were better than those of open McKeown esophagectomy (OE-MK), while there were no significant differences in the long-term outcomes between MIE-MK and OE-MK. Furthermore, the short-term outcomes of robot-assisted minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (RAMIE-IL) were superior to those of completely minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (CMIE-IL). On the other hand, there were advantages and disadvantages in relation to the short-term outcomes of robot-assisted minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (RAMIE-MK) as compared with completely minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (CMIE-MK). However, there were no significant differences in the long-term outcomes between RAMIE-MK and CMIE-MK. Further research is needed to evaluate of short-term and long-term outcomes of transmediastinal esophagectomy with and without robotic assistance. Both induction chemotherapy and induction chemoradiotherapy appear to be promising to secure a higher rate of conversion surgery. Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemoimmunoradiotherapy have shown promising results and are expected as new powerful therapies.

Progression-free survival as surrogate endpoint of overall survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a real-world data and literature-based analysis

Background

The surrogacy of progression-free survival (PFS) for overall survival (OS) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unelucidated. This study aimed to determine the validity of PFS as a surrogate endpoint for OS in ESCC patients treated with definitive radiotherapy or definitive chemoradiotherapy (dRT/dCRT), as well as characterize the prognostic factors and survival of such patients.

Methods

A total of 3662 patients from 10 cancer centers were enrolled. One-, 2-, and 3-year PFS (PFS12, PFS24, and PSF36, respectively) were used as time points for analysis. At each time point, ESCC-specific mortality and OS were characterized using competing risk and conditional survival models, while correlation between PFS and OS was evaluated by linear regression.

Results

At PFS12, PFS24, and PFS36, a progressive decrease in 5-year ESCC-specific mortality (35.2%-13.4%) and increase in 5-year OS (46.6%-62.9%) were observed. Regardless, the OS of patients remained markedly lower than those of the age- and sex-matched Chinese general population. TNM stage remained a significant prognostic factor at PFS36. Strong correlation was found between 3-year PFS and 5-year OS, which was further externally validated.

Conclusions

Three-year PFS may act as a potential surrogate endpoint for 5-year OS. TNM stage was considered a significant prognostic factor for OS, and may represent the optimal prognostic tool to guide clinical decision-making and post-treatment follow-up.

Survival rates and safety associated with chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery and chemoradiotherapy alone for patients with T4 esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The optimal treatment approach for T4 esophageal cancer is not well established. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the survival rates and safety of chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery (CRT-S) and chemoradiotherapy alone (CRT) in patients with T4 N_any M0 esophageal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched databases for eligible prospective or retrospective studies. The outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS) at 1, 3 and 5 years, treatment-related fistula formation and mortality rates. Meta-analyses were performed using the random effects models separately for studies evaluating CRT-S and CRT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on histology, radiation dose, chemotherapy regimen and duration of the interval between CRT and surgery.

RESULTS

We identified 23 studies including 1,119 patients with predominantly squamous cell carcinoma (93%) and adenocarcinoma (3%) histology. The OS rates of patients receiving CRT-S were 65%, 36% and 20% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The OS rates of patients receiving CRT were 30%, 11% and 10% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Treatment-related fistula formation rates were 4% for CRT-S and 9% for CRT. Treatment-related mortality rates were 3% for both groups. Subgroup analyses showed that the interval of >2 months between CRT and surgery was associated with significantly improved OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years.

CONCLUSION

Chemoradiotherapy is an efficacious treatment approach for T4 esophageal cancer, with clinically acceptable rates of treatment-related fistula formation and mortality. Tri-modality approach with surgery can be considered in carefully selected patients. Our study findings should be interpreted with caution due to the lack of high-quality evidence. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Efficacy of thoracotomy and thoracoscopic-assisted esophageal surgery in conversion and salvage surgeries: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The esophagus has no serosa; therefore, esophageal cancer may quickly invade its adjacent organs. In recent years, reports of conversion surgery (CS) and salvage surgery (SS) have described resection of esophageal cancer previously considered unresectable, with the addition of intensive preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Currently, there is no established method for determining whether tumor excision is possible. Additionally, differences in surgical approaches between facilities may influence outcome after resection. However, the option for resection is considered a significant factor in determining a patient's prognosis.

METHODS

Patients who were diagnosed with advanced-stage (T3 or higher) squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and subsequently underwent resection with CS or SS were included in the study. Resection was performed through a small thoracotomy using a thoracoscope. Clinicopathologic factors, such as complete resection rate (R0) and prognosis, were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 49 surgeries were conducted: 39 CS and 10 SS cases. The male-to-female ratio was 37:12. R0:R1:R2 equals 42:3:4, and the R0 resection rate was 85.7%. The 5-year survival rates for CS and SS cases were 69.2% and 32.1%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates for R0, R1, and R2 resections were 63.4%, 0.0%, and 25.0%, and those for R0 and R1 + 2 resections were 63.4% and 14.3%, respectively, indicating that the prognosis for R0 resection cases was significantly better (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Regarding chemotherapy for CS, 29 patients received 5-FU and cisplatin therapy, whereas 10 patients received 5-FU, cisplatin, and docetaxel (DCF) therapy. After 2015, the ratio of DCF was significantly high, and the R0 resection rate was 100% in patients who received DCF therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, a satisfactory R0 rate was achieved using the magnifying effect of the thoracoscope while ensuring safety during thoracotomy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This was a single-center cohort study wherein clinical data were retrospectively registered. This study was approved by the Chiba Cancer Center review board (H29-262). All procedures adhered to the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation and the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and its later amendments.

Surgical strategies for treatment of clinical T4 esophageal cancer in Japan

Definitive chemoradiation (dCRT) is the mainstay treatment for cStage IVa esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with good performance status (PS), according to standard practice guidelines. Salvage surgery may incur operation complications and risk of mortality. According to the esophageal cancer practice guidelines outlined by the Japan Esophageal Society, when a tumor is residual and recurrent, chemotherapy and palliative symptomatic treatment is continued. However, salvage operation has been selected as a therapeutic option for recurrent or residual tumors after dCRT. There is weak evidence for not recommending surgery for cStage IVa ESCC exhibiting residual disease following dCRT. It has been reported that during salvage surgery the only prognostic factor that is thought to be performed is complete resection (R0), but at the same time, salvage esophagectomy increases the incidence of postoperative complications and mortality. The phase II chemoselection study by Yokota T et al. in Japan showed that multidisciplinary treatment initiated by induction therapy, in which docetaxel is added to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, resulted in a good prognosis in the short term. In this review, we discuss the surgical strategy and future of unresectable clinical T4 (cT4) ESCC.

Salvage treatment after definitive chemoradiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) for the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is performed for patients with cT4 disease without distant metastasis and also for those with cStage I-III who are unable to tolerate or who refuse surgery. The rates of clinical complete response (cCR) after dCRT differ depending on the cStage, and patients who once achieved cCR frequently experience tumor recurrence. For those with residual tumor or with recurrence, salvage treatment is performed to achieve a cure. Several procedures have been reported as salvage treatments. Salvage esophagectomy is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, but can offer long-term survival. With R0 resection, with cCR to dCRT, pulmonary complications appear to be important prognostic factors affecting overall survival (OS). Lymphadenectomy is performed for the patients with lymph node metastasis without recurrence of primary lesions or distant metastasis, but the contribution to long-term OS is unclear. Metastasectomy is performed when distant metastasis is limited to the lung and there are few lesions, possibly contributing to long-term OS. Endoscopic resection and photodynamic therapy are indicated for cT1a and cT1-2 residual or recurrent tumors, respectively, and can yield favorable outcomes. Re-CRT and re-radiotherapy are performed for the patients with contraindications for surgery, but neither appears to contribute to long-term OS despite high incidences of esophageal fistula and perforation.

Unresectable esophageal cancer treated with multiple chemotherapies in combination with chemoradiotherapy: A case report

BACKGROUND

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) using cisplatin plus 5fluorouracil (CF) with radiation is considered the standard treatment for unresectable locally advanced T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Recently, induction chemotherapy has received attention as an effective treatment strategy.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a successful case of a 59-year-old female with unresectable locally advanced T4 ESCC treated by two additional courses of chemotherapy with CF after induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil (DCF) followed by dCRT. Initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) detected a type 2 advanced lesion located on the middle part of the esophagus, with stenosis. Computed tomography detected the primary tumor with suspected invasion of the left bronchus and 90° of direct contact with the aorta, and upper mediastinal lymph node metastasis. Pathological findings from biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. We initially performed induction chemotherapy using three courses of DCF, but the lesion was still evaluated unresectable after DCF chemotherapy. Therefore, we subsequently performed dCRT treatment (CF and radiation). After dCRT, prominent reduction of the primary tumor was recognized but a residual tumor with ulceration was detected by EGD. Since the patient had some surgical risk, we performed two additional courses of CF and achieved a clinically complete response. After 14 mo from last administration of CF chemotherapy, recurrence has not been detected by computed tomography and EGD, and biopsy from the scar formation has revealed no cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

We report successful case with tumor remnants even after DCF and subsequent dCRT, for whom a complete response was finally achieved with two additional courses of CF chemotherapy. Additional CF chemotherapy could be one radical treatment option for residual ESCC after treatment with induction DCF followed by dCRT to avoid salvage surgery, especially for high-risk patients.

Salvage Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy (RAMIE) for T4b Esophageal Cancer After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy

Background

Patients  with esophageal cancer  that invades adjacent structures (cT4b) are precluded from surgery and usually treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). dCRT might result in sufficient downstaging to enable a radical resection, possibly improving survival. This study aimed to assess the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of a salvage robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) in patients with cT4b esophageal cancer after dCRT.

Methods

Between June 2012 and November 2019, patients who underwent a RAMIE with a gastric conduit reconstruction after completion of dCRT for cT4b esophageal carcinoma were identified from a prospectively maintained surgical database at the University Medical Center Utrecht.

Results

In total, 24 patients with a histopathologically confirmed T4b adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were included. The adjacent organs involved were the tracheobronchial tree (67%), aorta (21%) or both (13%). No conversions or major intraoperative complications were observed. A radical resection was achieved in 22 patients (92%), and a pathologic complete response was observed in 13 (54%) patients. Postoperative grade 2 or higher complications occurred in 20 patients (83%). The disease-free survival at 24 months was 68% for the patients in whom a radical resection was achieved.

Conclusion

In patients with cT4b esophageal cancer treated with dCRT followed by a salvage RAMIE, a radical resection rate of 92% was achieved, with acceptable complications and promising survival rates. These results demonstrate the feasibility of a curative surgical treatment for patients with initially irresectable esophageal cancer but underscore the importance of a proper preoperative patient selection.

Long-Term Outcome of Patients with Locally Advanced Clinically Unresectable Esophageal Cancer Undergoing Conversion Surgery after Induction Chemotherapy with Docetaxel Plus Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil

BACKGROUND

Although definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is recommended for patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer, the outcome is unsatisfactory. We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of induction chemotherapy with docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) and subsequent conversion surgery (CS) for patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer. However, whether or not induction DCF chemotherapy and subsequent CS improve the long-term outcomes of patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer is unclear.

METHODS

A total of 177 consecutive patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer without distant metastasis were included in this study. Of these, 55 patients received DCF induction chemotherapy, of whom 36 underwent CS. We divided these 36 patients into two groups according to clinical response, which was analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The toxicities related to DCF chemotherapy were manageable. The response rate to induction DCF chemotherapy was 67%. R0 resection was achieved in 81% of the 36 patients who underwent subsequent CS. No serious postoperative complications were observed. Histopathological CR was achieved in 17% of the 36 patients, and the 3- and 5-year survival rates after CS were 61% and 54%, respectively. The outcomes of the patients who obtained good clinical response was better than the outcomes of patients who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Induction DCF chemotherapy and subsequent CS show acceptable toxicity and offer the chance of long-term survival in patients with locally advanced clinically unresectable esophageal cancer.

Appropriate Candidates for Salvage Esophagectomy of Initially Unresectable Locally Advanced T4 Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Standard treatment for unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer is definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). Although salvage esophagectomy is the only curative treatment available following dCRT failure, the appropriate candidates for salvage esophagectomy remain unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three hundred seventeen patients who underwent dCRT from April 2004 to December 2016 were stratified into three study groups-a complete response (CR) group, chemotherapy or best supportive care (BSC) group, and salvage esophagectomy group-and compared. We also investigated the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of salvage esophagectomy.

RESULTS

Seventy-one patients (22.4%) achieved CR after dCRT, 18 patients (5.7%) underwent salvage esophagectomy, and 228 patients (71.9%) underwent palliative chemotherapy or BSC. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of the CR group, salvage esophagectomy group, and chemotherapy or BSC group were 83.0%, 51.6%, and 1.3%, respectively. Salvage esophagectomy recipients had a worse OS rate than CR patients (p < 0.001) but a better OS rate than those in the chemotherapy or BSC group (p < 0.001). Incomplete resection was the only significant variable associated with poor OS on univariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis (hazard ratio: 7.633, 95% confidence interval: 1.692-34.482; p = 0.008). Patients with tumors in the upper thoracic esophagus were more likely to undergo incomplete resection (p = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who achieve R0 resection are good candidates for salvage esophagectomy regardless of their response to dCRT. Those with upper thoracic esophageal tumors are at risk of incomplete resection; careful attention is required when considering these patients for salvage esophagectomy.