Salvage Surgery After Chemoradiotherapy in the Management of Esophageal Cancer: Is It a Viable Therapeutic Option?

This multicenter retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of salvage esophagectomy after definitive chemoradiotherapy compared to planned esophagectomy after induction chemoradiotherapy.  Operative mortality was similarly high in both groups (8.4% vs 9.3%).  Anastomotic leak was higher after salvage esophagectomy (17.2% vs 10.7%).  3-year survival was similar between the groups.  Salvage esophagectomy for persistent disease resulted in lower survival than when performed for recurrent disease.