Salvage esophagectomy after failed definitive chemoradiation for esophageal adenocarcinoma

Outcomes of salvage esophagectomy after definitive chemoradiation (CRT) for squamous cell carcinoma are well defined. Previous reports of salvage esophagectomy in patients with recurrent adenocarcinoma after definitive CRT are limited by small numbers and high morbidity and mortality rates.

We reviewed our experience of 65 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma treated from 1997 to 2010 who underwent salvage esophagectomy after failed definitive CRT. We then compared this group to 65 matched patients of 521 total patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma who received preoperative CRT followed by planned esophagectomy. Propensity matching and multivariable analysis were performed.

Median time to surgery from completion of therapy for the salvage group was 216 days. Major postoperative events (major pulmonary event, conduit loss, leak, readmission to intensive care unit) occurred in 35% (23 of 65) of salvage patients and 31% (20 of 65) of the planned resection matched group. Anastomotic leak occurred in 18.5% (12 of 65) and 11.3 (59 of 521) of salvage and planned groups, respectively. Thirty-day mortality was 3.1% (2 of 65) after salvage resection and 4.6% (3 of 65) after planned resection. There was no difference in 3-year overall or median survival between the two groups of patients (32 months, 48% salvage, versus 40 months, 57% planned resection). Multivariable analysis did not identify salvage strategy or time from completion of therapy to resection as a predictor of major event or death.

Postoperative morbidity, mortality, and overall survival of patients after salvage esophagectomy are comparable to matched patients after planned resection. These results suggest that patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma who fail definitive CRT and recur locoregionally should be considered for salvage esophagectomy at experienced esophageal centers.