Robot-assisted versus thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy for locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy
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Updated: Aug 18, 2025
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
Haoyao Jiang1, Xufeng Guo1, Yifeng Sun1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Section of Oesophageal Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
Introduction:
Robot-assisted oesophagectomy (RAE) and thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy (TLE) are surgical techniques for the treatment of oesophageal cancer. This study aimed to compare the perioperative and mid-term outcomes of RAE versus TLE for patients with locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).
Methods:
Consecutive patients receiving nCRT plus RAE or TLE were retrospectively included in this single-institution study from January 2016 to January 2021. Perioperative outcomes were compared and survival analysis was performed.
Results:
This study enrolled 251 patients, 80 (31.9%) in RAE and 171 (68.1%) in TLE. The conversion rate was equivalent in RAE versus TLE (3.8% vs 2.9%, P = 1). Median operative time in RAE was significantly shorter than that in TLE (254 vs 289 min, P < 0.001). Compared to TLE, RAE harvested more lymph nodes along the recurrent laryngeal nerve [4 (3-6) vs 3 (1-5), P < 0.001]. Overall complications were similar in RAE compared to TLE (38.8% vs 38.0%, P = 0.911). No statistically significant difference in disease-free survival (log-rank P = 0.721) or overall survival (log-rank P = 0.325) was found between groups.
Conclusions:
Compared to TLE, RAE could achieve shorter operative duration and better lymph nodes dissection along the bilateral RLN for locally advanced ESCC after nCRT, with comparable short-term outcomes. A long-term survival remains to be verified.
