The role of surgical treatment in isolated organ recurrence of esophageal cancer—a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the improvements in the early detection and treatment of non-metastatic esophageal cancer, more than half of patients undergoing a curative treatment for esophageal cancer will develop recurrence within three years. The prognosis of these patients is poor. However, a wide range in overall survival has been reported, depending on the pattern of recurrence, and no optimal treatment strategy following recurrence has yet been uniformly accepted.AimIn this article, we aimed to systematically review the literature for the role of surgical resection of metachronous distant metastasis following primary treatment of esophageal cancer. Furthermore, we discuss possible factors that could possibly predict which patients may benefit from a surgical approach. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed using combinations of keywords.ResultsPatients with recurrence may benefit of a multimodality treatment. Regarding the isolated recurrence of esophageal cancer in solid visceral organs, operative intervention has been proposed as a treatment that may offer a survival benefit in an individual basis. No definitive conclusions regarding the potential survival advantage offered by the surgical treatment of solitary recurrent lesions can be drawn. However, recent improvements in surgical treatment and optimization of perioperative management guarantee an acceptable operative risk, making surgical resection of solitary recurrence lesions a considerable therapeutic option.ConclusionsIt can be conferred from the available studies that the surgical treatment of isolated recurrence from esophageal cancer may offer a survival benefit for properly selected patients. Prospective, multicenter studies might be useful to gain a better insight into those factors that affect selection of patients to take benefit from an operative intervention.

Potential Role of circPVT1 as a proliferative factor and treatment target in esophageal carcinoma

“…Moreover, the 5-year survival rate of ESCC patients is only between 15 and 25%. Despite considerable advances in its clinical treatment, the prognosis for ESCC patients remains severe [6, 7]. The underlying mechanism of ESCC progression behind these clinical problems was still not completely clear [8] and needed to be further clarified to develop more effective therapeutic strategies [9].…”

The Use of Circulating Tumor DNA for Prognosis of Gastrointestinal Cancers

“…Despite this, the risk of recurrence of the cancer within 5 years is reported to be up to 50% ( 4 – 6 ). For oesophageal cancer and GIST approximately half of the patients undergoing curative resection develop recurrence ( 4 , 5 ), with half of the oesophageal recurrences occurring within the first year post-resection ( 5 ). Despite deeming patients free of disease at the conclusion of initial therapy, gastric cancer has been reported to have a recurrence incidence of 26% ( 7 ), and following CRC resection, incidence of recurrence is ~35%, with 80% occurring within the first 2 years of resection ( 6 ).…”

TRPM8 facilitates proliferation and immune evasion of esophageal cancer cells

“…So far, surgery is regarded as a better treatment for patients with esophageal cancer [3,4]. To develop novel drugs by illuminating the underlying mechanisms of esophageal cancer will help to reduce the damage caused by surgery.…”

“…In China, esophageal cancer ranks second in the incidence and third in the mortality of malignant tumors in digestive system [2]. Although a variety of therapies are applied, surgery is still thought to be the primary treatment for esophageal cancer [3,4]. However, some patients refuse surgery because of the trauma and implications induced by surgery.…”