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. 2025 Sep 23;58(6):239–251. doi: 10.5090/jcs.25.040

Table 4.

Outcomes of studies on salvage surgery following definitive chemoradiation therapy in esophageal cancer

Study Study type No. of patientsa) Histology Chemotherapy Radiation dose (Gy) Salvage indicationsb) Surgery Outcomes

After diagnosis/enrollment After surgery
This study Retrospective cohort 105 (192) SCC (95); AC (7); others (3) Primary PFL 50.4 RES (pathology proved) (105) E (85.7% R0) 1-year OS (89.3%); 3-year OS (54.8%); mOS (40 m) 1-year OS (79.8%); 3-year OS (49.6%); mOS (35 m); 1-year RFS (61.6%); 3-year RFS (33.6%); mRFS (20 m)
RTOG 0246 Clinical trial (dCRT +-S) 17 (41) SCC/AC PPF 50.4 RES (17) SE 1-year OS (88.2%); 3-year OS (47.1%) NA
Markar et al. [6] Retrospective cohort (nCRT +S vs. dCRT +S) 234 (308) SCC (144); AC (85); others (5) FP 50 (range, 25–75) RES (234) SE (86.3% R0) NA 3-year OS (39.1%); 3-year DFS (35.4%)
Miyata et al. [13] Retrospective cohort (dCRT +S) 116 (227) SCC (116) FP; TF 56.8±5.6 RES (116) SE (83% R0) NA 3-year OS (33.7%); 5-year OS (28.0%)
Watanabe et al. [24] Retrospective cohort (dCRT +S) 43 (63) SCC (63) FP (51); nil (12) 60 (range, 50–70) RES (43); REC (20) SE (73% R0) NA 3-year OS (29.8%); 5-year OS (15.0%)
JCOG0909 [7] Clinical trial (dCRT +-S) 12 (25) SCC (25) FP 50.4 RES (13); REC (12) SE (21 [76% R0]); lymphadenectomy (4) NA 1-year OS (72%); 3-year OS (33.5%); 5-year OS (22.3%); OS (2.4 yr)
JCOG9906 [12] Clinical trial (dCRT +-S) 4 (11) SCC (11) FP 60 RES (4); REC (7) SE (10 [70% R0]); no resection (1) 3-year OS (40%); mOS (16.7 m) NA
NEEDS [11] (ongoing) Clinical trial (nCRT +S vs. dCRT +-S) NA (600) SCC (600) TC; FP; FOLFOX 50–50.4 RES (NA); REC (NA) SE NA NA
Marks et al. [25] Retrospective cohort (nCRT +S vs. dCRT +S) 9 (65) AC (65) NA 50±4 RES (9); REC (56) SE (90.8% R0) NA 3y-OS (48%); 5-year OS (32%); mOS (32 m)

Chemotherapy regimens: FP, 5-fluorouracil + cisplatin; PFL, cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil + leucovorin; PPF, paclitaxel + cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil; TC, paclitaxel + carboplatin; TF, docetaxel + 5-fluorouracil.

SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; AC, adenocarcinoma; RES, residual; E, esophagectomy; OS, overall survival; mOS, median overall survival; RFS, recurrence-free survival; mRFS, median recurrence-free survival; dCRT, definitive chemoradiotherapy; S, surgery; SE, salvage esophagectomy; NA, not available; nCRT, neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy; DFS, disease-free survival; REC, recurrence.

a)The numbers represent the number of patients who underwent surgery for residual tumors (all patients in the study). The numbers in bold indicate the total number of patients included in the outcome analysis. b)Salvage indications for patients assessed in the outcome analysis.